Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has described the lingering power crisis at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan as not only an embarrassment to the management of the hospital, but also to the Nigerian government.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has now agreed to restore electricity to the UCH, following months of disruptions.
The decision was reached on Monday during Adelabu’s visit to the hospital, where discussions were held to resolve the long-standing issue.
“Power crisis in the UCH has gone to embarrassing level. It is quite embarrassing to have the hospital in total darkness for so long. I have intervened in the matter several times but the problem still lingers,” Adelabu said.
UCH has struggled with power supply challenges for the past year, with IBEDC disconnecting the hospital three times in 2024.
The latest resolution will see power restored within 48 hours as part of an agreement reached in a meeting involving the Minister, UCH Chief Medical Director Professor Jesse Otegbayo, and IBEDC’s Managing Director Francis Agoha.
During the meeting, medical students staged a protest nearby, expressing their frustration over the prolonged crisis.
Adelabu, speaking after the discussions, confirmed that all outstanding issues had been addressed. He acknowledged that similar challenges had been faced by other teaching hospitals, including the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and institutions in Calabar, Maiduguri, and Abuja.
However, he noted that these hospitals had found solutions through a federal government-backed solar mini-grid initiative.
To provide a lasting solution, the government plans to install a 50-megawatt solar mini-grid at both the University of Ibadan and its College of Medicine.
The project is expected to be completed within the first half of the year.
In the meantime, IBEDC has agreed to restore power to parts of UCH within 48 hours, while an outstanding debt of N283 million will be repaid in instalments over 8 to 12 months alongside the hospital’s current electricity bill.
