From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The European Union (EU), in collaboration with the Enugu State government, has launched a N4.33 billion solar power project aimed at electrifying over 25 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and small-scale businesses in the state.
Launching the project at Old Government Lodge, Enugu, Head of Green and Digital Economy, EU Nigeria and ECOWAS, Inga Stephanowicz, said the project was aimed at bringing electrification to communities, especially health facilities.
While noting that many primary health centres in Nigeria lack basic amenities and are in need of electrification, Stephanowicz said that five states in the country would also benefit from a similar project.
According to her, Enugu is one of the first states that volunteered and made the necessary commitment to become a priority state in the EU intervention.
“Enugu is going to get N3.33 billion from the EU support as they have paid a counterpart fund of N1 billion. When you multiply this amount by the five states, that is the amount we are spending on the project.
“It is a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of providing basic health, community services, and electrification needed for people to live, become healthy, and raise families.
“We are championing a model that is all-stakeholder-driven, in which local businesses will be connected, as the solar project will be powering both health facilities and SMEs around it.
“This means that we are not only electrifying health facilities but also businesses around it. One of those businesses will be a telecom tower to improve telecommunication in that facility,” she said.
Governor Peter Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, said that the project was a step towards improved healthcare delivery for the people of the state.
According to him, “This is a quick reminder that the challenges we face in primary healthcare and energy access are interconnected and require innovative and collaborative solutions.
“We are taking a bold step towards ensuring that our primary care facilities across the state have reliable, sustainable, and uninterrupted energy supply. This initiative aligns perfectly with our administration’s vision to enhance the quality of life for every citizen of Enugu State.
“The deployment of solar energy solutions in our healthcare facilities means that critical health services will no longer be disrupted due to power outages,” Mbah said.