FG To Light-up 200 Health Centres, 104 Schools with Solar- Minister

By Etuka Sunday

The Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman has said the deployment of solar power grid to 200 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and 104 Unity Schools would be completed in 12 months.

The ‘Energy for All – Mass Rural Electrification’ programme will be delivered by the Federal Ministry of Power through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

He disclosed this in his Office recently, stating that  the programme will be implemented over a 12-month period and is funded from Federal Government appropriation,” the minister said.

The Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Federal Ministry of Power, Mr Austin Asoluka in a statement said, the programme which was under the National Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) was to support the country’s economic recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the component of the project, Engr. Mamman said, solar power mini-grids would be deployed to 200 PHC with the provision of solar-powered street lights to the host communities.

At the 104 unity schools, the government will distribute Solar Home Systems (SHS) while providing solar-powered street lights within the campuses.

Upon completion, the programme will enable job creation, improve energy access and help the federal government to attain 30 percent of renewable energy contributing to the power sources by 2030.

The REA is advancing processes with the World Bank financing under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) to close the energy gap in the health sector.

Through this, the Agency will deploy hybrid solar power solutions to 100 secondary and tertiary health facilities which have also served as isolation and treatment centres.