The Katsina State Government has approved a 20-megawatt solar power project for 11 critical public facilities, projected to save the state about N7 billion.
Gov. Dikko Radda disclosed this on Wednesday at the 17th regular meeting of the State Executive Council.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Special Adviser to the governor on Power and Energy, Dr Hafiz Ahmed, said the council approved the procurement and installation of Balance-of-System accessories for Solar PV Inverter and Battery Energy Storage Systems at the 11 facilities.
He listed the facilities to include Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, three waterworks and a booster station, General Amadi Rimi Hospital, Turai Yar’Adua Maternity Hospital, Katsina State House of Assembly and Katsina State High Court.
Ahmed said the 11 facilities account for 93.4 per cent of the state government’s total electricity expenditure, adding that the solar intervention would significantly reduce spending on grid electricity and diesel generators.
He said the project was projected to save the state about N7 billion, noting that the expenditure otherwise incurred on electricity and diesel could equal the investment in the intervention within about three and a half years.
According to him, Katsina has zero megawatts of power generation capacity when the Radda administration assumed office but has now achieved more than 30MW, with a target of 70MW by 2031 under the Integrated Resource Plan developed in partnership with Power Africa.
Also, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Surajo Yazeed-Abukur, said the council approved a monthly allowance of N10,000 for 2,500 youths to support their sources of income and socio-economic well-being.
Yazeed-Abukur also said the council approved the maiden Katsina State Inter-Wards Grassroots Football Tournament, tagged: “Gov. Dikko Umaru Radda Youth Mobilisation and Development Tournament,” to promote sports, unity, teamwork and constructive youth engagement.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Suleiman-Jibia, said the council approved interventions covering renewable energy, youth development, education, sports, healthcare, roads and rural development.
Suleiman-Jibia said the council approved external works at the Special Model Secondary Schools in Jikamshi and Dumurkul to facilitate their take-off and expand access to quality secondary education, particularly for children in rural communities.
He added that the council adopted recommendations of the Teachers Voice Survey on strengthening teachers’ English proficiency and the Instructional Leadership Training Programme to improve curriculum delivery and learning outcomes.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Umar Samaila-Rugoji, said the council approved the procurement of a brand-new Caterpillar asphalt paver for the Katsina State Roads Maintenance Agency to strengthen road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance.
Samaila-Rugoji said the council also approved motorcycles for each of the 34 local government areas to improve access to rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu-Funtua, said approvals were given for hospital renovations and expansion in Jibia, Batsari, Ingawa and Bindawa, alongside renovation of doctors’ quarters at General Hospital, Katsina.