The European Union (EU) is to spend €10 million in providing solar energy supply to eight health facilities in Adamawa.
The Head of Cooperation, European Union, Mr Kurt Cornelis, made this known on Friday in Yola at the ceremony to launch the project in Yola.
“We are here today because of the partnership between Adamawa State Government, DFID and the EU to launch a project that will help provide access to sustainable energy to power hospitals that are off the grid in the state.
“The project Solar Nigeria is not new; it has proven to be successful in its first and second phases in Lagos and in Kaduna which was fully funded by DFID.
“The EU is scaling this project now by committing 30 Million Euros to support Kano, Kaduna and Adamawa states and additional 7.5 million in Borno.
“In Adamawa state, we are investing 10 million euros out of the overall project budget to provide sustainable energy supply in 8 health facilities across the state using solar PV. This includes; five General Hospitals, one tertiary health institution and two primary healthcare centres,” Cornelis said.
In his speech at the occasion, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri lauded EU for the interventions which he said would bring relief to communities involved in areas ravaged by insurgency in northern part of the state.
Fintiri whose speech was read by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Maxwell Gidado assured government support for the success of the project and urged for such support to be extended to communities ravaged by farmers/herders conflicts in southern zone of the state.
Fintiri said that the state also needed assistance in area of education and to the 4000 refugees expected to be evacuated very soon to Adamawa from Cameroon.
In his remarks, the Adamawa Permanent Secretary of Ernergy Department, Mr Mennas Ngangurah, said the health facilities were located in Gulak, Michika, Mubi, Maiha, Garkida and Gaanda towns.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of Adamawa Ministry Health, Mr Kennedy Bartimaus, who spoke on the impact of the project in health sector particularly in rural area, urged for it extension to more health facilities in the state.
Present at the occasion include the Programme Manager, Solar Programme, EU, Mr Godfree Ogbemudia; Lead Stakeholder Manager, Solar Nigeria Programme, Mr Tinyan Ogiehor; Stakeholder Manager, Solar Nigeria Programme, MS Aisha Zubairu; and Project Manager Engineering EM-ONE Energy Solution Solar Nigeria Programme, Mr Usman Isa.