AEFUTHA Decries EEDC Outrageous Billing
By Alex Odeh
The Management of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AEFUTHA), on Wednesday decried outrageous bill by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), calling on prompt intervention by relevant government agencies and key stakeholders on the escalation of electricity charges in the hospital.
Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, Calistus Azubike Okonkwo -Director of Administration (D.A), who represented Chief Medical Director, Prof. Robinson Chukwudi Onoh, said a review of the hospital’s electricity billing pattern over the past twelve (12) months reveals a disturbing and consistent upward trajectory.
Prof. Robinson Chukwudi Onoh questioned the escalating increase bill from ₦71,547,854.77 in November to ₦107,006,620.72 in December despite the reduction of activities in AEFUTHA from October 2025, caused by the earlier industrial action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and followed by another industrial action on 14 November 2025, by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU).
He, therefore, expressed concern over the methodology behind the billing, particularly the high charges associated with unmetered accounts, and hereby demands an immediate review of the accuracy and transparency of EEDC’s billing system as it applies to the hospital.
He said during the briefing, “In December 2025, AEFUTHA was served with an electricity bill of One Hundred and Seven Million, Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Naira, Seventy-Two Kobo (₦107,006,620.72) for a single billing cycle. This represents an unprecedented escalation in electricity charges and poses a grave threat to the sustainability of essential healthcare services provided by the hospital.
“A review of the hospital’s electricity billing pattern over the past twelve (12) months reveals a disturbing and consistent upward trajectory. Bills issued by EEDC increased from ₦26.5 million in January to ₦71.5 million in November, before surging to ₦107 million in December (500% increase in the bill). Notably, in 2023 and 2024, AEFUTHA’s monthly electricity bills were consistently below ₦20 million, making the current charges grossly disproportionate and difficult to justify.
“Since the inception of the current Chief Medical Director, Prof. Robinson Chukwudi Onoh, electricity charges to the hospital have continued to rise steadily. Despite this, hospital management has consistently met its obligations and ensured that payment was made in good faith to guarantee uninterrupted patient care and service delivery.
“However, the magnitude of the December bill has reached a breaking point. If this trend continues unchecked, AEFUTHA risks paying over One Billion Naira annually on electricity bills alone. This is clearly unsustainable for a public tertiary health institution whose core mandate includes patient care, training, research, and public health service delivery.
‘It is important to emphasize that AEFUTHA is a life-saving institution. The hospital operates critical facilities that must function round-the-clock, including intensive care units, neonatal units, operating theatres, diagnostic and laboratory services. Any disruption in power supply or financial strangulation caused by excessive billing directly endangers lives. Health is an essential service, and lives lost due to power failure cannot be restored”, he said.
