The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Hydrological Services/Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Rep. Paschal Agbodike, has pledged commitment to the development of the Commission’s host communities.
Agbodike made the pledge when the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Mr Abubakar-Sadiq Yelwa, appeared before the committee in Abuja.
In his appearance before the committee, Mr Yelwa stated that the Commission was facing several challenges, including funding, which has hampered it from carrying out its mandate.
Agbodike promised that the Committee was going to help address the funding challenges facing the Agency.
He noted that just like host communities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were enjoying some benefits, HYPPADEC communities should get the same treatment.
“We are ready to improve on the activities of HYPPADEC. We will improve the lives of those host communities because I see no difference between HYPPADEC and NDDC. The host communities of NDDC are enjoying the benefits, those things that should be going to them to ameliorate their suffering as a result of the hazard that is coming from the activities of oil companies.
“So the communities of HYPPADEC should also be compensated the way it is supposed as provided by the law and Act that establishes HYPPADEC” Agbodike said.
He mentioned that Kogi, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and Taraba States are would-be beneficiaries.
The lawmaker also said that intervention for the communities would be in the area of agriculture, housing scheme, construction and rehabilitation of schools, rehabilitation and expansion of urban water scheme, development of jetties, boreholes, fertiliser inputs, installation of solar street lights, ICT and rural electricity drive among others.
“To execute all these, funding is vital. The question here is how to make the funding available. This committee will help in making the funding possible.
“There is a rule for accessing loans according to the Act that establishes HYPPADEC. If necessary there is still the option of going through proper channels to access the loans.
Agbodike gave the assurance that the committee will assist in making sure that most of the things required by the agency are provided for.
HYPPADEC was established by an Act of the National Assembly to address ecological challenges from the operations of Hydroelectric Dams.
Emmanuel Ukoh
Comments are closed.