The House of Representatives has reiterated its resolve towards ensuring the development of power-producing host communities located in Kogi, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, and Taraba States, respectively.
Chairman of the House Committee on Hydrological Services/Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Hon. Paschal Agbodike, gave the assurance in Abuja during an interactive session with HYPPADEC Managing Director, Mr. Abubakar-Sadiq Yelwa.
Other stakeholders invited by the Committee are the secretary to the Government of the Federation; Electricity Generation Companies (GENCOs); Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE); Minister of Water Resources; National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC); and Bulk Electricity Trading Company (BETC).
In his address, Hon. Yelwa said that just like host communities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were getting some benefits, HYPPADEC communities should get the same treatment.
Agbodike promised the Committee would provide the necessary legislative support required to address the funding challenge facing the agency.
He said, “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 hazards that are coming from the activities of those oil companies.
“So the communities of HYPPADEC should also be compensated the way it is supposed to be, as provided by the law and the Act that establishes HYPPADEC.”
He said, “Those host communities, we shall make sure we improve their welfare; we have seen their plan for the year and things that have been provided or mapped out in the proposed budget.”
He also pledged the Committee’s resolve to ensure that the proposed intervention for the communities would be in the areas of agriculture, housing schemes, construction and rehabilitation of schools, rehabilitation and expansion of urban water schemes, development of jetties, boreholes, fertiliser inputs, the installation of solar street lights, ICT, and rural electricity drives, among others.
“To execute all these, funding is vital. The question here is how to make the funding available. This committee will help make the funding possible.
“There is a rule for accessing loans according to the Act that established HYPPADEC. If necessary, there is still the option of going through the proper channels to access the loans.
“It is the duty of this committee to assist in making sure that most of the things required by the agency are provided for,” he said.
Earlier, the Managing Director of HYPPADEC, Abubakar-Sadiq Yelwa, said they were facing several challenges, including funding, which hampered the Commission from carrying out its mandate.
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