By John Shiklam in Kaduna
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and seven other universities are to benefit from the second phase of electrification programme of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) an agency under the Ministry of Power.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Office (CEO) of the agency, Ahmad Ahmad, disclosed this on Thursday in Kaduna at the ground breaking ceremony of 2.5 mega watts Solar Hybrid Power Plant at NDA by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at the event which held after the Passing out Parade (PoP) of the 69th regular course of the NDA, Ahmad said the project is being executed under the REA-NEP Energizing Education Programme Phase II.
He said the second phase of the programme followed the successful execution of the first phase.
Ahmad told the President who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashi Magashi (rtd), that seven universities benefit from the first phase.
He said the first phase was sponsored directly by the federal government. He added thay the seven institutions that benefited include, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUSK), Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, (FUAM), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) and Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPR).
“This is the success story of the first phase of the project. We have completed seven of the these solar plants. The first phase was sponsored directly by the federal government.
“Based on that success, we were able to secure funding for the second phase for seven universities and two teaching hospitals which the NDA falls under…
“We intend to deliver a world class of solar hybrid plant that will take upload of up to 2.5 mega watts.
“This is why we are here and we wanted to get your blessings for a successful completion”, Ahmad said.
He said besides NDA, six universities and two teaching hospitals had been chosen to benefit from the second phase.
According to him, the idea behind the project is to complement power supply to the universities, stressing that, “the project is very important to the NDA because it will provide stable power supply”.
Other benefitting institutions in the second phase include, University of Abuja, University of Maiduguri and the University Teaching Hospital, Michael Opara University of Agriculture, Umudike, University of Calabar and the University Teaching Hospital, Federal University Gashua and University of Agriculture, Abeakuta.
While cutting the tape to flag off the commencement, Buhari pray that it project come to fruition.
The project is to be completed within 12 months.
