By Tukur Muntari, Kano
The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday launched the Deployment of 100,000 solar home systems under the Solar Power Naija Programme of the Federal Government at Jangefe Community in Roni Local government of Jigawa State.
Read also: Court Jails Lebanese 14 Years For Sexually Exploiting Two Teenage Girls
Speaking at the launching ceremony, the Vice President said the Federal Government launched the Solar Power Naija initiative as part of the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan, in order to rollout five million new Solar connections in off-grid communities across the country.
He said the programme is a private sector-led electricity access acceleration scheme to be facilitated by the Central Bank of Nigeria and implemented by the Rural Electrification Agency.
“The today’s event on the electrification of five million homes using solar power marks another milestone for rural communities to access electricity.
“We have to develop a strategy for decentralization of power through the use of renewal energy,” Osinbajo said.
According to him, the programme which would cost $200 million, was aimed at expanding energy access to 25 million Nigerians through the provision of the solar home systems in the country.
Read also: ECOWAS Parliament Hold 2nd Extraordinary Session In Kano May 20
“We are starting the programme in
He said the initiative was also expected to create more than 250, 000 of new jobs in the energy sector.
“The programme will creat local jobs for thousands of unemployed youths as installers, maintenance technicians and collection agents, among others,” he said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman, said no fewer than N7 billion would be generated through the project when it becomes operational.
He urged the benefiting communities to guard and protect the project at all times so as to last long for the community.
Earlier the Jigawa state Governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, said the launch of the project marks the beginning of lighting our homes especially at the rural areas where the project would focus on.
He commended the Federal Government for initiating the project which would go along way in electrifying the rural communities across the country.
Read also: Insecurity: Nigeria needs devine intervention, says Buhari
The Managing Director of ASOLAR,the company executing the project, Abubakar Twumasi, said ASOLAR in partnership with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) would executive the project.
“ASOLAR will be accessing funds through the CBN with Sterling Bank anchoring the transaction while NDPHC serves as the grantor to the facility,” he said.(End).
