The Minister of Power Engr. Sale Mamman says the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has commissioned four solar power mini-grids at four Coronavirus, COVID-19 Isolation Centres and Laboratory in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States.
The minister in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Aaron Artimas today said the ministry swung into action through REA to ensure constant and uninterrupted power supply to the Centres for the effective fight against the Coronavirus.
The minister also said the mini-grid solar powered plants will provide clean, safe and reliable power to avail health workers a conducive environment to maximize their efforts while providing the patients with an excellent atmosphere to recuperate.
President Muhammadu Buhari had directed in his broadcast in March that some critical sectors of the Government should provide maximum support for the fight against the COVID-19 malaise.
The minister immediately issued the directive to power sector agencies on that. Rising swiftly to that, REA said the solar plants were effectively installed within a short period of time following the instructions of the minister.
The fully installed solar hybrid projects are 53.1 kilowatt power (kwp) solar mini grid at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) COVID-19 Isolation Centre, 25kwp mini grip solar plant at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Public Health Laboratory in Lagos, 20kwp solar hybrid mini grid at the 128-bed Ikenne Isolation Centre in Ogun State, and the 10kwp mini grid solar plant at the 100-bed Iberekodo Isolation Centre still in Ogun State.
The Managing Director of REA, Ahmad Salihijo said the Centres have already been handed over to the Presidential task Force on COID-19 through the NCDC, without fanfare in view of the physical distancing order of the Federal Government.
The NCDC which has taken control of the facilities applauded both REA and the Federal Ministry of Power for the gesture, saying that it would go a long way to assist in curtailing the spread of the Coronavirus in Nigeria.
