Zainab Ali
The power supply crisis affecting the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe has drawn sharp criticism from the National Association of Nigerian Students, which has now given the Jos Electricity Distribution Company a 78 hour deadline to restore electricity to the facility. For NANS, the sudden blackout at a major teaching hospital is not only a technical failure but a direct threat to patient safety and public health in Gombe.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Financial Secretary of NANS Zone E, Muhammad Garba, stated that the association was shocked that power could be cut from a hospital that handles emergency cases daily and is currently working to upgrade its infrastructure. He described the action as irresponsible and dangerous because it disrupts essential medical services and exposes patients to avoidable risk.
Garba pointed out that the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe has made measurable progress in the past few months. According to him, the management has been transparent in its processes, committed to improving service delivery, and focused on modernizing key departments. He insisted that the gains recorded should not be frustrated by external decisions taken without adequate consideration for public welfare.
NANS argued that JEDC failed to show sensitivity and that hospitals and schools should never be treated like ordinary revenue points. Garba insisted that there are other ways for the distribution company to recover debts without endangering lives or causing disruptions in major social service institutions.
The association called on the Gombe State Government to work with the Federal Ministry of Power, the Federal Ministry of Health, and security agencies to ensure that the hospital is reconnected without delay. NANS also asked security agencies to watch the situation closely to avoid further complications.
The students warned that if electricity is not restored within the 78 hour window, they will mobilize students and civil society groups to demand accountability through lawful actions. Garba noted that the safety and well-being of Nigerians must remain a priority.
Responding to the backlash, Musa Abdullahi, the Gombe Head of Corporate Services for JEDC, said the hospital owed significant arrears and had defaulted for two consecutive months. He explained that the hospital consumed large volumes of power in October and November but did not make any payment. He added that although consumption dropped due to a resident doctors’ strike, the outstanding debt remained substantial. Abdullahi stressed that JEDC is a business entity and that the disconnection followed directives.