Hydroelectric Power Commission to Tackle Challenges of Host Communities

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has declared readiness to tackle challenges faced by host communities of hydropower.

The Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa, said the commission has discovered that the major issues in the host communities were during rainy reason, stressing that the communities become devastated with their farms, homes, schools, hospitals and business premises flooded. Yelwa made the disclosure yesterday, at the opening of a five-day retreat of the Governing Council of the Commission, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He stressed that “The ecological challenges they are faced with are enamous, which deprive them of the chances to improve even on their livelihoods, those are the major challenges the communities are really going through.”

He stated that over 227 political wards were assessed to know their basic needs and challenges and their most pressing needs in their order of priority.

“As a result of the exercise, we have identified over 150 communities that need immediate pipe borne water provision, for that reason we have submitted a no objection request for the need for public procurement for award of solar powered boreholes to over 120 communities and plans are on the way for the construction of at least 10 hand pumps in each political ward of the commission.

“There are also plans to rehabilitate dilapidated primary and secondary schools, health centres.

Yelwa named the commission’s sources of funding to include, 50 percent ecological fund, Federal Government, and 10 percent revenue generated by hydroelectric power generation companies, among others.

“HYPPADEC has members of council from Kebbi, Niger, kogi, Kwara, Plateau and Benue states, these are also the six states that are members of the commission.

“However, the Act also made provision for any state that have a new hydro eletric power producing dams will also be admitted into the commission. Apart from these core states, the Northern and Southern states have one representative each in the commission”, the Managing Director stated.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Commission, Joseph Ityav, assured all that that against fears of HYPPADEC going the way of other interventionist agencies would not materialise as the Commission would be a success.

“With the kind of board and the management staff we have in place, we are assuring Nigerians that HYPPADEC will be a success story, we are very confident that soon, you will begin to see projects being executed by HYPPADEC”, the chairman stated.

“We have already put some projects in place, but we are trying to adhere to procurement act, soon. HYPPADEC is meant to address ecological challenges being faced by Hydroelectric host communities like similar agencies of the past. HYPPADEC was signed into Law in 2010, but it only took effect just this year.

“Host communities have alot of chal in terms of infrastructural development, setbacks, the mandate upon us is to give these communities face lift, provide them with manpower development to bring succour to their hardships.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta has advised the HYPPADEC to keep to the agency act and promises to the people.

Nta, who was the keynote speaker at the retreat spoke on the theme:”HYPPADEC High Hopes, Failed Promises Learning from the Past of other Agencies”.

He urged the Commission to partner with other organisations and choose it’s representative based on competence not by sentiment.

“You should tackle the issue of women and youth unemployment to ensure success in your Commission,” Nta said