The Nigeria Government Wednesday in Abuja kicked off deployment off-grid electricity, especially solar hybrid mini grip plants, to health facilities across the country as part of measures to fight the outbreak of COVID-19.
Already, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) handed over two completed solar hybrid mini-grid plants in Abuja and another two in Lagos, while two other completed solar hybrid mini-grids are slated to be handed over on today in Ogun state.
Speaking at the handover of the facilities, Managing Director of REA, Ahmad Salihijo, said the move was part of support in stemming the tide against the COVID-19 pandemic.
He disclosed that the projects handed over to authorities at the health centres include a 53.1KWp solar hybrid mini-grid installed at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital COVID-19 Isolation Center, 25KWp solar hybrid mini-grid at Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Public Health Laboratory in Lagos as well as a 20KWp solar hybrid mini-grid at 128 Bed Ikenne Isolation Center and 10KWp solar Mini hybrid mini-grid at 100 Bed Iberekodo isolation Center in Ogun state.
Stating that the development would complement the efforts of the Federal and State Government as well as the private sector in containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the country, Salihijo said the palliative would provide emergency electrification of COVID-19 health centres across the country.
He reiterated REA’s support in containing COVID-19 and commitment towards electrification of unserved and underserved areas across the country.
“The REA being the implementing Agency of the Federal Government for the electrification of unserved and underserved areas across the country hereby provides and hands over this 53.1KWp solar hybrid mini-grid at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital COVID-19 Isolation Center. This project is one of the initial four solar hybrid mini-grids implemented by the REA at COVID-19 health facilities.
The other three are 25KWp solar mini-grid at the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Public Health Laboratory in Lagos, 20KWp solar hybrid mini-grid at 128 Bed Ikenne Isolation Center and 10KWp solar Mini hybrid mini-grid at 100 Bed Iberekodo Isolation Center in Ogun state. Implementing these projects will provide clean, safe and reliable electricity to enable our health workers to thrive towards the fight against this COVID-19 disease,” Salihijo said.
He noted that while complementing the efforts of the Federal Government towards containing the spread of COVID-19, the agency would continue fulfilling its mandate of providing clean, safe and reliable electricity to rural areas across the country.
The beneficiary institutions of the solar mini-grids thanked the Federal Government and the REA for delivering this project towards combating COVID-19. They mentioned the project will not only provide constant power to their centres to help combat COVID-19, but it will also provide a conducive environment for patients to recover from this disease
