By Oke Peter
Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on Wednesday handed over two completed solar hybrid mini-grid plants in Abuja and Lagos.
Its Managing Director, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, made this known in a press release to journalists.
According to the statement, the two other completed solar hybrid mini-grids are slated to be handed over on Thursday in Ogun state.
It is part of the Agency’s support in stemming the tide against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the handover of the project, Ahmad reiterated REA’s support in containing Covid-19 and commitment towards the electrification of unserved and underserved areas across the country.
The statement quoted him as saying “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 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 thrive towards the fight against this COVID-19 disease”.
The projects handed over to authorities at the health centers 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.
According to the statement, the initiative is being implemented by the Agency to 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.
This is following the outlined intervention and palliative measures of President Muhammadu Buhari, in his national broadcast of 29th of March, 2020 and the Minister of Power directives on the role of REA in complementing the Federal Government’s efforts on COVID-19 in his press release of 31st March, 2020.
The statement reads in part: “Also, the Agency outlined measures towards containing Covid-19 in the country in a press release on 3rd April, 2020 by providing emergency electrification of COVID-19 health centers across the country, collaboration with development partners on accelerating disbursement to qualifying developers as well as engaging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Federal Ministry of Power towards inclusion of energy companies under the COVID-19 intervention programme of the bank.”
The statement also quoted the representatives of NCDC as saying “We applaud this generous gesture by the Rural Electrification Agency of providing these solar hybrid mini grids to COVID-19 isolation centers and the public health laboratory in Lagos State. This will truly help our health workers in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the country”
The REA CEO statement said 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 centers to help combat COVID-19, it will also provide a conducive environment for patients to recover from this disease.
It noted that the Agency while complementing the efforts of the Federal Government towards containing the spread of COVID-19 will continue fulfilling its mandate of providing clean, safe and reliable electricity to rural areas across the country.
