Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, has conveyed his commitment to restoring electricity supply at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan within a timeframe of 24 to 48 hours.
The Minister made the assurance at a closed-door meeting with the Management of the hospital and the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company IBEDC, in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, southwest Nigeria.
According to the Minister, the development will bring to an end the 102-day power outage in the institution, stressing that the development necessitated his intervention.
He assured that all the issues relating to the crisis have been resolved.
“The IBEDC has agreed to restore electricity to some sections of the hospital within 48 hours while N283m will be settled on an instalment basis”
“The management of the UCH has agreed on an immediate settlement of the debt on instalment payment, which is going to be between 8-12 months in addition to the current bill,” he explained.
Adelabu also informed the hospital’s management of the Federal Government’s readiness to see that all medical institutions are electrified.
He emphasised that proper budgeting must be done and registered through the Federal Ministry of Health, saying that the Power Ministry is liaising with the Federal Ministry of Health to jointly establish and agree on the actual energy cost to eliminate fraud and power theft, establish the capacity of the hospital to foot its bill in line with its revenue capacity.
The Minister condemned the practice of consolidating the electricity bill of the Teaching Hospital.
He indicated that, as a part of the strategy moving forward, there would be an unbundling of the energy bill specific to the hospital, separating it from that of the College of Medicine, hostels, residents, and local business entities such as supermarkets and banks.
He added that there are plans to revitalize the power infrastructure to ensure optimal performance within the State.
Adelabu said that the government was committed to addressing power supply issues in UCH and similar institutions like the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
He highlighted key resolutions, including immediate reconnection to the national grid, proper power distribution analysis and the introduction of a solar-powered mini-grid.
“That we have come here today means we are committed to finding a lasting solution. Do you think I will be happy when the premier hospital in Ibadan is in darkness?” Adelabu said.
He also charged the technical team of IBEDC to work with the electricity department of UCH to determine the reasons for energy losses.
“Federal Government desires to see that all institutions are electrified; however, a proper energy budget must be done by all institutions and submitted to the parent body, the Federal Ministry of Health.
“Henceforth, each of the major consumers will be responsible for the payment of their electricity bills as against the previous practice of lumping bills,” the Minister said
He disclosed that separate transformers would be provided.
“It was also agreed that all the sections of the UCH must be properly metered to guide against sharp practices,” the Minister noted
The Minister further stated that the Federal Government had listed both the UCH and the University of Ibadan as beneficiaries of a 50-megawatt solar mini-grid, which would be completed within the first and second quarters of the year.
He also listed institutions like the University of Abuja, University of Maiduguri, University of Calabar, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna, where the federal government had intervened to reduce the energy burden through the provision of mini-grids.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Medical Director, Jesse Otegbayo, indicated that the substantial debt incurred by the hospital can be attributed to several factors. These factors include the lack of separate accounts and the presence of deteriorating infrastructure, among others.
Otegbayo stated that the hospital’s outstanding debt, amounting to N283.8 million, has accrued primarily from electricity consumption across various facilities, including the College of Medicine and the hostels.
He added that this situation necessitates urgent intervention from the government and relevant stakeholders in the power sector.
The Managing Director of IBEDC, Francis Agoha, however, has confirmed the gradual restoration of electricity to sections of the hospital.
As of November 2024, the management of UCH confirmed that IBEDC deliberately disconnected the power supply due to an outstanding debt of approximately N400 million. This debt is part of a substantial accumulated bill totalling N3.1 billion since 2019.
In light of the recent protest at the University of Ibadan, the President of the Students’ Union, Aweda Bolaji, has articulated the students’ demand for the immediate restoration of power to the University Teaching Hospital.
Bolaji advocated for the implementation of the previously promised 50 percent reduction in tariffs from last year, along with the necessity for comprehensive reforms in the electricity supply to the hospital.
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