The Lagos State House of Assembly, on Monday inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to investigate the case of a 12-year-old boy, Adebola Akin-Bright, whose small intestine allegedly got missing during his treatment.
The Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, inaugurated the committee at a plenary on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that on Friday, the mother of the boy, Abiodun Deborah, had cried out over the disappearance of her child’s small intestine during his treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
Obasa said the ad-hoc committee would be set up to investigate the issue and report back to the house in the next two weeks.
He named the Majority Leader, Mr Noheem Adams, as the chairman, while other members were Mr Temitope Adewale, Mr Steve Ogundipe, Mr Surajudeen Tijani, and Mr Lawal Musibau.
The speaker also commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for visiting the 12-year old, describing the governor’s action as a reflection that the government was responsive and caring.
He said: “It shows the governor is caring for him to have visited mother and child at the hospital and the promise he made which gives hope. It is commendable.
“However, it is important to have a system in place to ensure a structure that curtails any challenge that affects institutions in the state, therefore, it is necessary that we get to the root of the problem.”
Commenting, the Deputy Whip, Mr David Setonji, thanked the speaker for calling the attention of the lawmakers to the issue, adding: “We need to look more into the health sector of the state.”
David noted that the House had taken pragmatic steps to pass a law on Organ Harvesting, adding that the law had important role to play in the progress of the state.
On his part, Mr Sa’ad Olumo lauded the courage exhibited by the mother of the boy for calling the attention of Nigerians to the boy’s plight.
Contributing, Mr Desmond Elliot commended Sanwo-Olu for displaying a sense of true humanity and service.
Elliot supported the probing of the issue, saying that: “We have so many people who cannot voice out. Thank God the woman did.”
Also, Mr Oladipo Ajomale, who appreciated the speaker for sharing the video of the woman’s cry with all the lawmakers at the weekend, also appreciated the governor for visiting the patient.
He urged the National Assembly and other state legislatures to ensure implementable laws on organ harvesting.
