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Hospital founder decries N25m electricity bill
The President of Save A Life Foundation, Dr. Richard Okoye, has expressed dismay over the exorbitant electricity bill he recently received from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company for his hospital in Rivers State.
In a video that went viral on Thursday, Dr. Okoye revealed that the hospital’s electricity bill skyrocketed to N25,300,000 due to its classification under Band A.
He criticised the Federal Government’s decision to increase the tariff for Band A customers, labeling it a “Band A tariff epidemic” that would devastate the country’s healthcare system.
Dr. Okoye emphasized that hospitals provide essential services to society and should not be treated as profit-making entities.
He warned that the increased tariff would jeopardize the healthcare sector, already grappling with challenges such as the emigration of doctors.
READ ALSO: Health Minister directs hospitals to save lives before demanding for police report
Dr. Okoye highlighted the critical role of electricity in healthcare delivery, stating that uninterrupted power supply is vital for preserving medications and conducting surgeries successfully.
Sharing a poignant anecdote from his medical experience, Dr. Okoye recounted an incident where an elderly patient failed to respond to anesthesia due to the degradation of the drug caused by inadequate storage facilities resulting from power outages.
Furthermore, Dr. Okoye criticized the government’s decision to downgrade teaching hospitals and federal medical centers to Band B, prioritising Band A customers at the expense of public health.
He urged the Federal Government to reconsider its stance, emphasizing the dire consequences of the current electricity tariff on hospitals and the health of Nigerians.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission approved the tariff hike for Band A customers on April 3, increasing the rate from N66 to N225 per kilowatt-hour. However, a Federal High Court in Kano issued an order restraining NERC and the Kano Electricity Distribution Company from implementing the new tariff for Band A consumers.
READ ALSO: FG still pays electricity subsidy despite tariff hike – Power Minister
Dr. Okoye founded his hospital in 2010 with a vision to revolutionize the healthcare sector in Nigeria. Despite facing initial financial challenges, he secured loans from a micro-finance bank and diligently repaid them, demonstrating his commitment to his mission.
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