College School Hospital in Ibadan has refuted claims of owing the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) a staggering N495 million, stating that such insinuations are unfounded. Mrs. Funmilayo Adetuyibi, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, conveyed this stance in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Ibadan.
IBEDC had disconnected power supply to UCH citing an accumulated bill of N495 million, plunging the facility into darkness. However, Adetuyibi clarified that the hospital did not amass such a hefty bill over the last three years. She explained that the current administration, under Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, took office on March 1, 2019, inheriting a bill of over N27 million as of February 27, 2019. Since then, the hospital has diligently paid the monthly bills presented by IBEDC and has been working to clear outstanding bills from previous administrations.
Adetuyibi disclosed that despite multiple meetings with IBEDC’s management, the proposed payment plan to offset the outstanding debt was rejected. IBEDC insisted on an initial payment of N250 million within three months. Nevertheless, UCH remains committed to ensuring patients’ comfort and staff welfare amidst these challenges.
She refuted claims of the hospital spending N160 million on diesel monthly, clarifying that the actual expenditure ranged from N15 million to N17 million. Furthermore, she noted that UCH had never received 24-hour power supply from IBEDC.
Addressing the issue of water supply, Adetuyibi stated that although there were challenges due to power outages, the hospital relied on generators to pump water. UCH currently operates with 45 generators, some of which require servicing or replacement.
Adetuyibi highlighted efforts made by the hospital’s management to address the energy issue, including the installation of solar inverters in various departments. She reiterated UCH’s commitment to settling outstanding bills while appealing to IBEDC not to charge commercial rates due to the hospital’s social service nature.
To mitigate the impact of power outages, UCH has established an energy committee tasked with raising funds to pay electricity bills and providing solar-powered energy to various service areas. Adetuyibi called upon individuals, organizations, and the international community to support the hospital, emphasizing UCH’s significance as a national heritage and collective legacy.
