The President, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), on Tuesday, commissioned the 1.52 MegaWatts Solar Power project to provide uninterrupted power supply to the Ministries of Works and Housing, Environment and Lands in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Buhari, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, said the project was a testimony of his administration’s commitment to increasing power supply across Nigeria through the mini-grid.

Vanguard reports that the newly commissioned plant was approved by the Federal Executive Council on the 20th March 2019 and expected to supply power to the five blocks in the two ministries.

The President said the project would also assist in reducing the carbon emission that could be an environmental hazard in the country.

In his address, the Minister of Housing and Works, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, said the power project would reduce the diesel consumption of the two ministries from 764,248 litres per annum to 166,825 litres per annum, adding that it would also save them N270,945,000 in 20 years.

He said during the execution of the project, a total of 382 artisans and 176 skilled workers were employed, stating that it would also reduce the government’s operational expenses and recurrent expenditure.

He said: “What we have delivered, based on the mandate of the Federal Executive Council, is a 1.52 MegaWatts Solar System that will provide uninterrupted power supply to 5 blocks housing the Ministry of Works and Housing and Ministry of Environment and Lands.

“This project employed 382 artisans and 176 skilled workers throughout its duration, in fulfilment of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of creating jobs.

“It would see to the reduction of average diesel consumption from 764,248 litres per annum to 166,825 litres per annum and cost-saving of NGN270,945,000 over 20 years and contribute towards the reduction of government operational expenses and reduction of recurrent expenditure.

“It has led to the upgrade and retrofitting of our electrical appliances by replacing 400 old Air-conditioning units with 400 new inverter-based energy-efficient Air-conditioning units and replacing 2,600 old light fittings with energy-efficient LED ones all of which are energy-saving because they consume 40 per cent less energy.”