100 Days of Darkness: UI Medical Students Protest UCH Power Outage as Minister Visits
100 Days of Darkness: UI Medical Students Protest UCH Power Outage as Minister Visits
Students of the University of Ibadan College of Medicine took to the streets on Monday to protest the prolonged power outage at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Frustrated by over 100 days of blackout, the students stormed the hospital, demanding urgent intervention. The demonstration coincided with the visit of the Minister of Power, Chief Bayo Adelabu, and the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), who were at UCH to address the lingering power crisis.
The protesters held placards with messages such as “We are tired of 100 days of darkness; Save UCH,” insisting that the minister must provide a lasting solution to the crisis, which has severely disrupted their academic and clinical activities.
Student Union President Bolaji Aweda stated that their key demands include the immediate restoration of electricity to UCH, the implementation of the government’s promised 50% electricity waiver for tertiary healthcare institutions, and urgent reforms in the health sector.
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In response, the minister assured them that the government and UCH management were working to resolve the root causes of the power outage.
He promised that the hospital would soon be reconnected to the national grid by IBEDC.
The crisis began when IBEDC disconnected UCH from the national grid on October 27 due to accumulated debts.
