UI students protest against 82-day blackout at teaching hospital over indebtedness

*Angry students of the University of Ibadan, in Oyo State of Nigeria, organise a peaceful protest over 82-day blackout at the University College Hospital that has also has disrupted academic activities in the city, demanding an immediate restoration of power to the renowned tertiary health facility

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

For reported indebtedness and subsequent power disconnection to the facility for over 82 days, the concerned students of the University of Ibadan (UI), in Oyo State, have staged a peaceful protest blackout at the University College Hospital (UCH).

ConsumerConnect reports the UCH Ibadan, a popular tertiary teaching hospital is where medical students from the University of Ibadan are trained.

It was gathered that the teaching hospital has been experiencing a power outage for over two months due to debts the health facility owes the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

The peaceful student protesters later moved from the UCH to the Governor’s Office at the Secretariat in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Sunday Odukoya, Executive Assistant to Governor (Engr.) Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, received the protesting students at the Government Secretariat, in Ibadan.

Odukoya assured the protesters that the Oyo State Government would liaise with the Federal Government to find a solution to the electricity crisis, report noted.

Comrade Bolaji Aweda, President of the UI Student Union Government, while addressing reporters, described the blackout at the UCH as persistent.

Aweda averred that the power situation has disrupted academic activities within the hospital and the entire University community, in Ibadan.

Blackout a power play between IBEDC and UCH, SUG President alleges

The blackout, it was learnt, has persisted for over 82 days as students could not study well.

The Students’ Union leader also claimed that the current blackout is a power play between the authorities of the IBEDC and the UCH.

He reportedly stated: “The blackout has lingered for over 82 days now, and for over two months, there has been no light at the University College Hospital which has affected the livelihood of our students.

“The lack of electricity is why we are out on the street today. We have reached out to the school management severally. “It is a kind of power play between the University College management and the University of Ibadan management.”

Student explore stakeholder engagements to resolve issue

The UI SUG President said the demands of the protesting students included “the immediate restoration of light to the University College Hospital and all hospitals in Nigerians who are currently facing the same blackout.”

Aweda also urged the implementation of the 50 percent discount on tariffs the Federal Ministry of Power, in 2024, as well as the revamping of the country’s healthcare sector.

Also commenting on the power situation at UCH, Sunday Tobilola, another student leader, said that the peaceful protests would be backed by a series of engagements with stakeholders to get the issue resolved.

Tobilola maintained that the failure to fix the power challenges would result in full action to drive home the students’ demand.

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