Students from the University of Ibadan took to the streets today to voice their frustration over an ongoing 82-day power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH). The peaceful protest, led by the President of the Students’ Union, Bolaji Aweda, highlighted the significant impact the outage has had on both patient care and the education of medical students.
The power outage at UCH began in November 2023 and was exacerbated by debts owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). The hospital’s power supply was disconnected in March 2024 due to unpaid electricity bills, leaving students and staff struggling to cope with the lack of essential services.
During the protest, Aweda stated, “For 82 days, there has been no light at UCH. This situation is unacceptable and directly affects us as students.” He emphasized that the hospital is crucial for their training, and without reliable power, both learning and patient care are severely compromised.
The students gathered early in the morning to express their dissatisfaction and call for immediate action. They demand that UCH settle its debts with IBEDC so that power can be restored promptly. The ongoing outage has raised concerns not only about the hospital’s operations but also about the quality of education for future healthcare professionals.
