The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) says it is set to begin interventions in 30 flood-prone communities in Nasarawa State.
Alh. Abubakar Yelwa, Managing Director (MD) of the commission, disclosed this at a needs assessment, enumeration and community mapping training exercise on Monday in Lafia.
The MD, represented by Mr Nura Wakili, Head of Press and Public Affairs of the commission, said that the benefitting communities were spread across seven local government areas of Awe, Kokona, Doma, Nasarawa, Toto, Keffi and Karu.
He explained that the commission had the mandate to intervene in ecological and other challenges faced by communities affected by operations of the hydroelectric dams as well as the main rivers and tributaries supplying water to dams.
According to the MD, the commission programmes provide a complete package that touches on physical projects and socioeconomic support interventions to affected communities.
Yelwa said that the needs assessment, enumeration and community mapping exercise in Nasarawa State, was in keeping with the commission’s philosophy of bottom-to-top approach of their interventions emanating from identified needs of the communities.
“We do not believe in seating in our headquarters in Minna or liaison office in Abuja to design and execute programmes for communities.
“We want to go and see and hear first hand information on the condition of the communities, hear the inhabitants’ challenges and their peculiarities that would guide us to develop our action plan for execution of projects and programmes in the communities,” he said.
The MD said that the exercise in Nasarawa State would be concluded on Oct. 19, after which the data collected would be analysed and a comprehensive action plan developed for project implementation.
He further explained that the commission had intervened in several flood control projects such as construction of drainages to avoid flooding in flood-prone communities in member states.
“We also have the N-HYPPADEC Resettlement Housing Scheme to resettle riverine communities ravaged by incessant flood that have defined control.
“We have 250 housing units of the scheme in Niger State and 150 units in Kogi,” he added.
The MD, therefore, appealed to the government and people of the Nasarawa State to cooperate with commission’s officials in the field by ensuring their safety and security.
He pointed out that the success of exercise would determine the stake of the Nasarawa State communities in the programme of the commission.
Mr Yakubu Kwanta, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environmental and Natural Resources, who declared the training exercise open, thanked the Federal Government for including the state in N-HYPPADEC intervention programmes.
Represented by Mr Garba Rosha, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, the commissioner assured the commission of the state government’s support to ensure the success of exercise.
He charged the enumerators to do a good job in the field to ensure the communities got the kind of intervention they truly desired from N-HYPPADEC.
In his remarks, a traditional ruler, the Aren Koro Kuje, Mr Sunday Namo, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the intervention.
He gave assurances that the traditional rulers in the affected communities would mobilise their subject toward the success of the needs assessment and community mapping exercise.