Reps pledge support for HYPPADEC host communities

The House of Representatives Committee on Hydrological Services/Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), has pledged its commitment to  development of hydroelectric power producing communities.

Rep. Paschal Agbodike, Chairman of the committee, made the pledge when the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar-Sadiq Yelwa, appeared before the committee in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said just like host communities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC),  were getting some benefits, HYPPADEC communities should get the same treatment.

He promised that the committee would help to address the funding challenge of the agency.

“We are ready to improve on the activities of HYPPADEC. We will improve on 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 sufferings as a result of hazards  from activities of  oil companies in their areas.

“So host communities of HYPPADEC should also be compensated the way it is supposed to be, as provided by the law and Act that established  the commission.”

He listed Kogi, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and Taraba as states that would benefit from the gesture.

He said intervention for the communities would be in the areas of agriculture, housing scheme, construction and rehabilitation of schools.

Others benefits are, 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.

He said it was the duty of the  committee to assist in making sure that most of the things required in the agency were  provided for.

Earlier, the  HYPPADEC managing director, said they were facing several challenges, including funding, which had affected  the commission’s  ability  to fully carry out its mandate.

NAN / Foluke Ibitomi