EU, Enugu govt launch N3.33billion solar project for PHCs

The European Union (EU) and the Enugu State Government have launched a N3.33 billion Solar for Health Project to electrify 25 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state.

They also inaugurated the Enugu State Solar for Health Project Steering Committee, headed by the Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Emmanuel Obi, to manage and ensure the sustainability of the project.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the launch was part of an EU project titled “Nigeria Solar for Health Programme (NISHP)”, aimed at providing 24-hour electricity to more than 100 healthcare facilities across five states in the country.

The NISHP will run from 2024 to 2027 to improve the country’s healthcare system by providing solar power to public health facilities in participating states.

The states are Enugu, Ogun, Plateau, Abia and Akwa Ibom. Enugu is the first state to provide a counterpart fund of N1 billion to support the project.

‘All stakeholders-driven model’

Launching the project at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu, on Tuesday, Inga Stephanowicz, the Head of Green and Digital Economy, EU Nigeria and ECOWAS, said it aimed to electrify communities, especially health facilities.

While noting that many primary health centres in the country lack basic amenities and need electrification, Mrs Stephanowicz said five states would benefit from it.

According to her, Enugu is the first state to volunteer and make the necessary commitment to become a priority state in the EU intervention.

She added that “Enugu will get N3.33 billion from the EU support as the state government has paid counterpart fund of N1 billion, and when you multiply this amount by the five states, that is the amount we are spending on the project.

“It is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of providing basic health, community services and electrification needed for people to live, become healthy and raise families.

“We are championing a stakeholders-driven model where local businesses will be connected to as the solar project will be powering both health facilities and SMEs around it.

“This means that we are not electrifying only health facilities but businesses around it too. One of those businesses will be a telecom tower to improve telecommunication in that facility.”

Mbah’s remarks

In a keynote speech, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State said the project is a step in the collective journey toward the attainment of SDGs and improved healthcare delivery for citizens.

According to the governor, it is a quick reminder that primary healthcare and energy access challenges are interconnected and require innovative and collaborative solutions.

Mr Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed that Enugu State had long been committed to improving healthcare outcomes and addressing the energy deficit.

“We are taking a bold step towards ensuring that our primary healthcare facilities have reliable, sustainable and uninterrupted energy supply.

“This initiative aligns perfectly with our administration’s vision to enhance people’s lives.

“The deployment of solar energy in our healthcare facilities means that critical health services will no longer be disrupted due to outages.”

Long term sustainability

The Programme Manager of Energy Access, EU Nigeria, Godfrey Ogbemudia, assured that by 2030, more than 100 million Nigerians would have access to electricity through the project.

He said the EU had committed €20 million to the power sector in Nigeria for both off-grid and renewable energy between 2008 and 2020 and an additional €37 million to new energy access programmes from 2021 to 2027.

Tinyan Ogiehor, the senior stakeholder engagement manager of NISHP, explained that the project was funded by the EU in collaboration with the Enugu State Government to improve health outcomes in the state.

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He further mentioned that the project was designed with key elements of long-term sustainability, hence the need to electrify productive load users and have the government provide counterpart funds.

“The EU is providing funds for solar PV, batteries, and inverters for a minimum of 25 health facilities in Enugu State, spread across 17 Council Areas,” he added.

(NAN)