The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has refuted claims that it owes the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) the sum of N495 million, News About Nigeria reports.
The hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Funmilayo Adetuyibi, made this claim in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan.
The denial comes in response to IBEDC disconnecting the power supply to UCH, citing accumulated bills totaling N495 million, which resulted in the hospital being thrown into darkness.
Adetuyibi clarified that the notion of UCH accumulating such a hefty bill over the last three years is untrue.
She explained that the current administration, under the leadership of Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, assumed office on March 1, 2019, inheriting a debt of over N27 million as of February 27, 2019.
Since then, she claimd the hospital has diligently ensured the monthly payment of bills presented by IBEDC while also addressing backlog bills from previous administrations.
Despite efforts to engage with IBEDC management and proposing a payment plan to settle the outstanding debt, Adetuyibi revealed that IBEDC rejected the proposed payment plan, insisting on an upfront payment of N250 million within three months.
“As stated earlier, the contention we have with IBEDC is the old bill inherited by this current administration.
“We paid N50 million in January 2024, N55 million in February 2024, and N45 million in March 2024,” she said.
While acknowledging outstanding bills to IBEDC, she debunked claims that the hospital spends N160 million monthly on diesel, stating that the actual expenditure ranges from N15 million to N17 million.
Regarding power supply, Adetuyibi clarified that UCH has never received a 24-hour power supply from IBEDC, and the hospital relies on generators for uninterrupted operations.
“The hospital has only 45 generators. Out of these 45 generators, some are due for servicing while some are due for replacement,” she said.
She dismissed reports of patients’ relatives purchasing sachet water due to water scarcity, explaining that the hospital employs generators to pump water despite challenges with optimal water supply.
Adetuyibi said that the hospital installed solar inverters in various departments and formed an energy committee tasked with finding sustainable solutions as a way of addressing energy challenges.
She appealed for support from individuals, corporate organisations, and the international community to assist UCH in maintaining its status as a national heritage and collective legacy.
