Enugu tragedy: Committee indicts operator at Auckland Park
…As three dead kids buried
http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Enugu-State-Governor-Ifeanyi-Ugwuanyi..jpgBy Maureen Edozie (Enugu)
NIGERIA: THE committee set up by the Enugu State government to look into the amusement park tragedy which claimed the lives of three children last July 11 has indicted the operator on duty.
The panel concluded that the operator at the Auckland Park took a wrong decision that must have caused the accident.
The Committee Chairman, Hon. Chidi Aroh, who is also the commissioner for Enugu Capital Development Territory, while briefing newsmen said that the three casualties amongst them two sisters have been buried.
Hon. Aroh gave the management and facilities at the Auckland recreation centre a clean bill just as he announced the immediate re-opening of the facility which was shut down since the accident occurred.
The commissioner, who said that the report had been approved by the State Executive Council, stated among other things that, “in the interim, there was a human error in all these; the report by the team led by the DSS which says it was caused by error of judgment of the operator because from all technical tests the machines were in good condition, the servicing conditions were met; everything was in good order.”
He explained that the committee discovered that the children panicked while riding on the spinning tea cup machine in the amusement park.
“But what we have not determined was if the response to their panic was sufficient and in line with standard practices; that is going to come in our final report,” Hon. Aroh said.
The commissioner, who disclosed that the three casualties amongst them two sisters have been buried, announced the immediate re-opening of the park, which was shut because of the tragedy.
Hon. Aroh disclosed that the State Executive Council approved that all recreational facilities within the state must within the next 14 days ensure the provision of comprehensive insurance that will cover all third party users of the facilities or they will be shut down completely.
The report, he said, also called for an immediate review on the standards of operation of all such facilities in Enugu and ordered that there must be monthly evaluation of standards and compliance with the said standards.
“So every month, there must be a compliance certificate issued to all operators of recreational facilities; if it is not done the facility is shut down automatically,” he said.
He added: “Because this performance evaluation certificate will include the fact that we must ensure every 30 days that the comprehensive insurance is on and working; we must ensure that operational manuals are in line with manufacturers’ specifications.”
“We must check to ensure that medical and emergency facilities are all provided therein,” the commissioner also said.
“Operators of the facilities are further expected to undergo trainings in line with international best practices to ensure that they are up to date with management of these facilities,” he further emphasised.
