Mohammed A. Labaran, the District Head of Manta community in Shiroro Local Government Area, and his Borgu counterpart, Alhaji Salisu Mohammed, in their submissions, lamented that despite reports of incentives from HYPPADEC, little or nothing was coming directly to their people from the commission
By Mohammed Usman
The Managing Director (MD) Hydro-electricity Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Alhaji Abubarkar Sadiq Yelwa, has apologized to benefitting communities against inabilities to live up to statutory social responsibilities and complete existing projects initiated by the commission.
Abubarkar however claimed that the fault was not entirely that of HYPPADEC but because some communities were not captured among the list of flood-prone areas or working documents among other factors.
“I, on behalf of HYPPADEC, apologize for the inability to complete the houses or resettlement camps in some flood-prone communities particularly in Muregi and Ketso, which we expected should have been completed within the lifespan of this administration”.
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The managing director’s apology came against the backdrop of complaints and observations made by the flood-prone communities during the 2023 stakeholders meeting on “Flood Mitigation and Other Related Issues in Niger State,” which took place at the Legbo Kutigi conference centre, Minna.
Representatives of the communities in flood-prone areas in the 17 local government areas out of the 25 councils of Niger State present at the event had earlier expressed reservations about the workings of HYPPADEC.
While some are of the views that enlightenment about the commission should be intensified for the benefit of the targeted communities, others said that the HYPPADEC package was only heard or read on the media but not reaching down to the beneficiaries and therefore efforts should be made to bridge the gap.
Mohammed A. Labaran, the District Head of Manta community in Shiroro Local Government Area, and his Borgu counterpart, Alhaji Salisu Mohammed, in their submissions, lamented that despite reports of incentives from HYPPADEC, little or nothing was coming directly to their people from the commission.
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