Indigenes of Ibadan, under the banner of Legacy Stars of Ibadan (LSI), have issued a passionate plea to the federal government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, urging them to investigate both the current and past management of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
According to the group, such a probe is critical to finding lasting solutions to the persistent power outages plaguing the teaching hospital.
This call to action was contained in a press statement released after LSI’s monthly meeting, held on the 1st of December, in Ibadan and made public on the 2nd of December, 2024.
The statement highlighted that UCH, in recent months, has been grappling with frequent power cuts caused by unpaid debts to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
Signed by LSI President Mogaji Saheed Oyewale and Secretary Barrister Kazeem Oladepo, the statement detailed the discussions during the meeting.
“The monthly meeting of LSI was held on Sunday, 1st December 2024. Various issues affecting Ibadan, Oyo State, and Nigeria in general were discussed and deliberated upon.
“One of the pressing issues was the incessant power outage at UCH, which has been ongoing for months. Power supply was initially cut off in March this year, causing significant disruptions.
“Although the issue was temporarily resolved after some interventions, the hospital recently experienced another blackout due to unresolved electricity debts.
“When there is no light, critical medical procedures are stalled, compromising patient care. The hospital is facing serious challenges, and this cannot continue. Many patients who require urgent medical attention have been left unattended, a situation with dire consequences for public health,” the statement read.
Describing the state of affairs as an “embarrassment,” the group urged the federal government to take immediate action.
“We want the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Health and Social Welfare to probe the current and past management of UCH.
“We have heard of numerous challenges confronting this institution, and as a premier tertiary health facility, UCH should not be in such a deplorable condition. The federal government must act swiftly,” LSI demanded.