By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Nigeria’s President, Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been commended for approving the release of the sum of N80bn to mitigate the impact of flooding in vulnerable communities in the States that make the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).
The commendation was made by the North East Stakeholders Forum for Sustainable Development (NESFSD), in a statement jointly signed by National Chairman of the NESFSD, Alhaji Murtala Sule Jalingo and the Secretary General of the Forum, Comrade Danladi Bawa Gombe, which was distributed to newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday.
The group also commended the Managing Director of HYPPADEC,
Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, for effectively managing the Commission which led to the release of ₦80bn.
The group explained that
the intervention came at right time for the right purpose which will definitely serve as a proactive step in mitigation as the rainy season is gradually peaking.
The group however called for more funds to effectively control and address the looming challenge saying that the money will.be judiciously utilised to reduce the serious flooding caused by torrential rains that threatens widespread flash floods points across the HYPPADEC States and Nigeria as a whole.
The group further commended the examplary leadership always exhibited by the Managing Director in pursuit of the Commission’s projects with vigour to the conclusion through regular reviews of all ongoing projects, assessment of programme implementations and coming up with strategies for improving service delivery across member-states.
The statement added that Abubakar Yelwa’ s approach towards ensuring quality service delivery always gives genuine opportunity for him to evaluate the performance of various departments and divisions, identify operational challenges and receive feedback from field offices to strengthen project implementation.
The group noted that HYPPADEC under Abubakar Yelwa is commendable because it has sustained yearly flood preparedness campaigns by embarking on early warning signal sensitisation programmes several months before the onset of the rainy season in flood-prone communities.
Also, its several intervention to its catchment communities in Gombe and Taraba States in the subregion, particularly through its tailored approaches to addressing local needs which always helped to improve the welfare and livelihoods of host communities in Gombe and Taraba States.
The group also commended the Commission’s efforts in mitigating ecological damages arising from hydroelectric power operations and promoting sustainable development in host communities.
The statement stated that in Gombe State HYPPADEC supplied of 1,100 life jackets, provided an operational flying boat to Kupto Community, installed solar streetlights, constructed solar-powered boreholes, desilting of drainages, construction of classrooms, and support for indigent students through the payment of National Examination Council, (NECO), fees.
“We are happy the Commission under Abubakar Yelwa is living up to the objectives of its establishment, unlike many organisations that focuses largely on internal development,
HYPPADEC prioritised interventions that directly impact people’s daily lives,” the group noted.
The group further expressed happiness over the delivery of a 33-seater boat, safety facilities in Taraba State as well as other interventions that included the distribution of 32 power tiller machines to farming cooperatives, provision of two flying boats along the Lau–Karim Lamido and Ibi–Wukari axes to enhance emergency response and mobility, and desilting of blocked drainages and culverts covering about 40,000 linear metres across several local government areas to mitigate flooding.
The Commission also supplied and installed transformers in parts of Jalingo and supported education by paying NECO external examination fees for students from power-producing communities,and the deployment of two water buses to improve transportation for residents of riverine communities in Taraba State.
According to the group, the N80bn intervention will prevent Dams and bridges in the benefitting areas from collapsing or being washed away by flood.
It could be recalled that Nigeria climate change and weather forecast agencies have cautioned that millions of Nigerians living in low-lying and vulnerable communities could face severe flooding if the current downpour persists.
