A parliamentary employee has shared a distressing incident of nearly collapsing in an elevator in the Job 600 building on Thursday, due to a power outage.
The individual, who feared for his life, was fortunately rescued by colleagues and security personnel.
The power cut affected both the Parliament House and Job 600, the office complex for Members of Parliament (MPs), owing to a GHc23 million debt.
The disconnection, carried out by the National Taskforce of the Electricity Company of Ghana on Thursday, February 29, was part of the ongoing “Operation Zero Balance” initiative by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) task force, aimed at addressing outstanding arrears.
The anonymous staffer, speaking to Citi News on Thursday, recounted that he was on his way to the ninth floor from the ground floor when the lights went off on the second floor.
Despite attempts to contact engineers proving futile, the employee managed to reach out to colleagues, who, along with security personnel, came to their aid.
The employee detailed the challenges faced, including unsuccessful attempts to open elevator doors and seek help from passersby. Lack of air during the ordeal almost led to him fainting, highlighting the severity of the situation.
“I went downstairs and when I was coming from down to the ninth floor, I think somewhere on the second floor the light went out so I got stuck in the elevator and I tried calling the engineers too, but it wasn’t going through.
“The one I had too said he was at the annex. I called the other ones too still, they were taking time. So, I called my colleagues, and they came down there with the military guys and tried opening the gates so that at least I could take in some air. It is not a pleasant situation. I could see that I was passing out and I was out of air.”
“But with the help of my colleagues and the security guards finally after about 30 minutes of being stuck there, they were able to open it and get me out of there. I was the only person in there.
“Most of the time whenever I take the elevator I imagine being in the elevator and being stuck in it with no light in there how I will feel in there, I think today I have got to experience it but it is not a pleasant situation. It is just like you being locked up in a cell or something,” he said.
Responding to the thoughts running through his during the ordeal, he noted “…Oh God I didn’t plan for this and I hope this is not going to be my last day but when I got my colleagues on the line I knew that in no time they will get me out of there.”
ALSO READ:
