Bichi Flags off 7MW Renewed Hope Solarization Project At AKTH.
By Newsroom
KANO – Barely 48 hours after the power dispute between Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), the federal government has flagged off a seven-megawatt solar project in the hospital.
Speaking during the flag off in Kano, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations and the member representing Bichi Federal constituency, Abubakar Kabir Bichi, said over N12 billion is committed to the project and is expected to make the hospital independent of the national grid.
Bichi, who is also the facilitator of the project, said the project is part of the federal government move to solarize all tertiary institutions and all teaching hospitals across the country, starting with AKTH.
Hon. Bichi expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving and supporting the project.
He said that the project demonstrated President Tinubu’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said, “The federal Government set aside 300bn in the 2025 appropriations act
and very soon, all our tertiary institutions and teaching hospitals, including those owned by some states, will have 24/7 solar power.
“This year alone, I have attracted over N26bn projects to this hospital, which has never been done in its history. We are also working on another 5-6 megawatt at BUK, 4 megawatts at ADUSTECH Wudil, and another three megawatts at Murtala and Nasarawa hospitals.
“We must commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Earlier speaking, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, said the project is just the beginning of transforming the Renewed Hope Agenda vision into action.
On his part, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), the agency where the project is domiciled, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, promised that the project will be delivered before the end of December.
He said the commission is committed to providing clean, reliable, and affordable energy in all Nigerian tertiary institutions and teaching hospitals, saying energy bills from DisCos are not sustainable.
“This project is the first of its kind in the country, and we expect about 10,000. It will reach all the 36 states and the FCT. By the time we finish, all the facilities will be 100 percent solarized,” the DG explained.
AKTH Chief Medical Director, Professor Abdulrahman Sheshe, said when completed, the hospital will save more than 30 percent of its expenses.
“We spend about N150 million every month on electricity bills and another N30 million to buy diesel that power our generators. So, this project could not have come in a better time especially in the face of the recent power dispute we had.
Before the flag off, Hon. Bichi inspected ongoing construction of the five-storey Accident and Emergency and Trauma Center Unit being built by the Federal Government, a project he also facilitated.
Hon. Bichi was accompanied by the Kano State APC Chairman, Alh. Abdullahi Abbas, his colleagues, Hon. Usman Banye, Hon. Usman Zanna and the Clerk of the committee Sidi Ibrahim.