By Ignatius Ushie.
The minister of State Power, Goddy Jedy Agba has said that under the Economic Sustainability Programme (ESP) of the Federal Government, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) will commence the provision of Solar electricity to 200 Primary Health Centers and the distribution of Solar home systems to 104 Unity Schools across the six geo-political zones of the country.
The programme which is expected to be completed in 12 months, is a Presidential initiative driven by the Federal ministry of Power tagged Energy for All- Mass Rural Electrification, geared towards supporting the country’s economic recovery and growth plan to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in the political economy of the Nation.
Agba declared that, the mass solar electrification projects will create jobs and facilitate energy access to unserved and undeserved areas in the country, in line with Federal Government’s plan to have 30 percent of its total electricity supply from renewable sources, especially Solar power by 2030.
In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the minister of state Power Mr. Ofem Uket, made available to Transport Day in Abuja, the minister emphasized that the Federal Government initiative is to strengthen and close the energy gap in the health sector, through the deployment of Solar-hybrid captive power solutions to 100 secondary and tertiary health facilities which have also served as isolation and treatment centres across the country in the Covid-19 scourge.
According to the minister, the Mass Solar Electrification will strengthen the functionality of health centers, unity schools and communities that were in time past faced with the absence of electricity for a productive health and education sectors.
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA), is currently implementing the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), Energizing Education Proramme (EEP), Grid Extension (capital projects), Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI) and Solar Power Naija Programme.
