The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has reconnected the clinical services section of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
This follows the intervention of the Honorable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
In a statement released by IBEDC Management on Thursday and obtained by Westernmirror.com.ng, the company confirmed that the reconnection was carried out within the agreed 48-hour timeframe after both parties reached a resolution regarding the hospital’s recent disconnection.
“Following the successful intervention of the Honorable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and the agreements reached by both parties regarding the UCH disconnection issue, IBEDC has reconnected the clinical services section of UCH within the agreed 48-hour timeframe.
“We are now awaiting further directives from the management of UCH regarding the reconnection of other sections,” IBEDC stated.
The power disconnection had sparked concerns over the impact on essential healthcare services at UCH.
Recall that students of the UCH had earlier in the week protested against the prolonged power outage which had lasted for more than three months.
The Minister of Power, alongside the CMD of the hospital, Professor Jesse Otegbayo and other top management staff, addressed the protesting students, assuring that issues surrounding the disconnection had been resolved with IBEDC, and that power would be restored within 48-hours.
The University of Ibadan Students Union Government (SUG) had earlier threatened protest action against the federal government, UCH, and IBEDC if power was not fully restored to all sections of the hospital.
They alleged of deliberate attempt to reconnect power selectively excluding hostel accommodations for student-doctors as well as Alexander Brown Hall and Ayodele Falase Hall.
“Our position remains clear full restoration of electricity to the entire UCH, particalarly the hostels where our members reside.
“We state that failure to restore light to the halls within the stipulated timeline will lead to the student mass action against Federal Government of Nigeria, IBEDC, and University College Hospital (UCH),” UI SUG’s statement reads partly.