Massimo De Luca, head of cooperation at the European Union Delegation, says the EU is ready to procure equipment for the five selected states to further its technical assistance for the Nigeria Solar for Health project (NISHP).

The five states that have been selected for the project are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Ogun, and Plateau.

Mr De Luca disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the 2nd Steering Committee meeting of the Technical Assistance for the NISHP, an EU-funded programme.

“We are already launching and ready to commence equipment procurement for the five selected states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Ogun, and Plateau,” he said.

He reiterated the EU’s commitment to executing the project, which will focus on expanding access to clean, efficient, and reliable energy supply.

Tinyan Ogiehor, stakeholder manager of NTU International, observed that the second steering committee meeting, which has brought together all participating states, discussed core issues of sustainability and operations to deliver the solar for health projects in their state and at the state level focusing on state ownership, stakeholder responsibilities, maintenance, and distribution.

“We are channeling strategic discussions around how we can totally address the issue of sustainability and what private sector models are needed to deliver in each state and how they will ultimately operate within the states.

“We also brought in a telecom provider from American Towers to highlight their expectations as they anticipate receiving power from a mini-grid.

“Generally, we are here to rub minds with the EU, Ministry of Power, Rural Electrification Agency, at the national level to map out sustainability plans and how the project will be sustainable,” he added.

(NAN)