ESP: FG Okays 2.3trn for Rural
Electrification
The Federal Government
says it plans to Electrify Rural Communities with 2.3Trillion under
the Economic Sustainable Plan (ESP) being coordinated by the Office
of the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
The Minister of State
Power, Mr. Goddy Jedy- Agba OFR, disclosed this in Abuja
on Tuesday while commissioning the first 12KWP Volsus Solar for
Health (VSFH) Mini-grid with 58 KWH Battery Bank at the Primary
Health Centre (PHC), Karu, FCT.
He said as part of the
Ministry’s effort to improve power, and to provide Solar House
Systems (SHS) to five million homes across unserved and underserved
communities in Nigeria, a Committee had been setup to restructure
the Federal Ministry of Power and provide in-depth oversight for
its Agencies. “This is because if you grow these Communities, then
businesses would spring up, the health sector will perform better
and you know what the result is, improved living conditions”, the
Minister said.
“Recent Surveys
across some of these rural communities have shown that
interestingly, the rural dwellers were more likely to pay their
electricity bills without complaining than those in Urban Areas
where power operators are tackling the challenges of energy theft
and meter bypass”.
While speaking on the
project, Jedy-Agba said that Federal Government is supporting
critical initiatives, and it is in this light that the Ministry is
supporting Volsus Energy Limited, a solar and renewable energy
start-up firm, towards the “light- up” of communities across the
country. He stressed that reliable power supply is essential across
health facilities to increase their work pace, “At this period when
Nigeria is battling to flatten the COVID-19 pandemic and to
completely eradicate it”.
He further said that
Primary Health Centres (PHCs) were critical facilities in rural
communities as they are the first sign of Government’s effort in
providing sustainable health care to citizens, lamenting that
inadequate power supply to them has been one of the challenges the
facilities faced.
“I was informed that at
a time, this Karu Primary Health Centre had to suspend night shift
because of the epileptic power supply and the challenges that come
with that, i believe that this is now a thing of the past with the
commissioning of 12 Kilowatts power (KWH) solar mini-grid with 58
kilowatts (KWH) battery bank”, he said.
Earlier in his address,
the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Volsus Energy Limited, Engr.
Tomiwa Bayo-Ojo said the initiative was conceived towards improving
Nigeria’s health system while deepening the fight against COVID-19
Pandemic.
He explained that the
components of the mini-grid facility consist arrays of solar panels
that could generate up to 12KWP energy with the battery bank
capable of providing 24 hours electricity and could last for 58
hours at its maximum load point without sunshine. “What this means
is that even if there is no sunshine for more than two days, the
facility will still power the health Centre”, he said.
Bayo-Ojo noted that
prior to the installation, access to uninterrupted power had been
the bane of the Centre especially as it could not operate
optimally. “However, the Volsus Solar for Health (VSFH) mini-grid
is now providing 24 hour electricity to the ward, the labour room,
the laboratory, and the entire building. “There is also the
component for a refrigerator to improve the storage process of
vaccines for routine immunization at the Centre”, he said.
Egwim Perpetua
Infor. Officer. 1
for: Head of Press and
Public Relations Unit