NDDC Commissions Solar Power System for Imo Hospital

.Donates Essential Drugs to Imo State Govt

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commissioned a 30KVA Mini Grid/Highbrid Solar System and Cables retrofitting Energy-Efficient Lightings at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo State.

Speaking at the commissioning, the NDDC Acting Managing Director, Engr. Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, observed that the project was among the many interventions of the Commission towards actualising its vision and mission in the Niger Delta region.

He re-stated that the NDDC would henceforth be doing things differently, noting: “We have done a lot of things that need to be celebrated. We need to let people know all the good things that we have done.”

Audu-Ohwavborua said he was pleased that the Federal Medical Centre recognised and acknowledged the importance of the solar power project which the NDDC had provided for the hospital.

He remarked: “The NDDC has a very broad mandate that serves the people and we will continue to live up to this mandate.”

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer told the hospital authorities that the Commission would continue to assist them in critical areas of need, promising that a 1.5-kilometre road would be constructed in the hospital premises immediately.

He noted that the value of the solar power system energy could not be overemphasized, stating that it was clean energy that was best suited for the world today.

In his address, the Director, Imo State office of NDDC, Engr Anthony Okanne, said that the Solar Power project would boost service delivery in the Federal Medical Centre.

He explained: “The Solar System has 32 solar panels of 1,000wp, 30KW/240V inverter, solar charger controller, battery bank with remote monitoring control unit and fittings.

“The importance of this project cannot be overemphasized in our healthcare system. Considering the failure of our national power sector to address the needs of homes, offices and hospitals in Nigeria, there is the compelling need for alternative power supply and this solar energy serves as a healthy alternative to the energy needs in our homes, offices and hospitals.”

Earlier in his own address, the Chief Medical Director of the FMC, Dr Kinsley Achiegbu, thanked the NDDC for the project, noting “that the solar energy is a healthy alternative for the energy needs of our healthcare system.”

Achigbu, who was represented by the Head of Training and Research, Dr Anthony Anyanwu, underlined the environmental benefits as well as the fact that it was much cheaper than using diesel. He said that money saved in the process would be used to support other priority areas associated with patient care.

He declared: “Steady and dependable power ensures quality healthcare, helps to maintain the cold chain for vaccines, refrigeration of medicines and consumables.”

The Chief Medical Director said that FMC was now fully automated and was operating the Electronic Medical Record System, EMR.

Also, The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has handed over essential drugs to the Imo State Government for distribution to health centres in communities affected by flood, as part of measures to ameliorate the suffering of the people in the Niger Delta region.

Handing over the drugs to the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, at the Imo State Government House, Owerri, the NDDC Acting Managing Director, Engr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, said that it was part of the Commission’s efforts to improve health services in the rural communities of the Niger Delta region.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer, who was accompanied by other directors of the Commission, presented the list of the drugs, already delivered, to the governor. He also presented a copy of his book, entitled: “The Real Enemies of the Niger Delta,” to Governor Uzodimma.

Audu-Ohwavborua assured the Governor that the NDDC would be fair in the distribution of projects in the Niger Delta states, noting that the Commission was making efforts to provide relief materials to flood victims in the region.

The NDDC boss explained that the Commission was concerned by the pains of the Internally-Displaced Persons who were exposed to poor hygiene and increased risk of disease outbreaks.

He said the essential medications, which would be made available to the other NDDC mandate states, included anti-malaria, anti-biotic, anti-fungal, anti-diarrhea and anti-emetic drugs. Others, he said, would address the challenges of diabetes, hypertension and general fever.

Responding, Governor Uzodimma, said he was delighted that the NDDC was taking appropriate actions to address the challenges facing the people of the region, noting that the Acting Managing Director was “able and capable.”

He remarked: “The Acting MD knows the terrain of the Niger Delta region very well and over the years, he has shown capacity. With him in the saddle, I expect positive changes in the NDDC.”

“Under your watch, I expect the NDDC to go back to fulfilling its mandate by executing projects the touch the lives of the people.”

The Governor appealed to the NDDC to pay its counterpart funding to the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises, LIFE-ND, programme, which is partly funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, to make it possible for Imo State to benefit from it.

Uzodimma called the attention of the NDDC to the dilapidated section of the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road at the boundary between Imo and Rivers States. He said that some emergency measures should be taken to ease the pains of commuters between the two states.

Reacting to the Governor’s concern, the NDDC boss said that the Commission would send its engineers to assess the situation and come up with a more enduring and holistic plan for the road.