The European Union (EU) and the Enugu State Government have committed to exploring potential partnership areas across the power and infrastructure sectors to drive economic growth and development in the state. This was disclosed by the Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Massimo De Luca, yesterday, when he paid a working visit to the Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, at Government House, Enugu.
De Luca, who underscored the strategic place of Enugu State to the EU, added that the state had since emerged as a key partner in several areas, particularly in the power sector where projects, such as solar-to-health, small hydro-power generation that will provide uninterrupted power supply for industrial clusters were being initiated.
“A specific focus, which has emerged over the last couple of years, is the renewable energy, and Enugu is one of the selected number of states that are partnering with us on a number of renewable energy initiatives. One of them is solar-to-health.
“We are working for the electrification of primary health centres in the state, and the model we are adopting is one that will ensure sustainability,” he added. On his part, Mbah indicated the state’s strong interest in forging development partnership with the EU, stressing that some of its initiatives aligned with the administration’s aims, objectives and vision of not only developing the state exponentially but also taking deliberate steps in eradicating poverty.
“Our vision is to eradicate poverty – to achieve a zero percent rate in our poverty headcount. We have in pursuit of that objective, invested hugely in our social sector; building 260 smart schools, 260 Type-2 primary healthcare centres,” he said.
Mbah, who further called for the strengthening of the existing relationship to expand new areas of interests in the renewable energy source that will include solar-forhealth and solar-for-education that will power the smart screens, ICT centres, robotics and artificial intelligence laboratories in the smart green schools across the 260 electoral wards in the state.
