N-HYPADEC as a perfect synonym for an interventionist agency

The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPADEC) is a constitutional body charged with the responsibilities of addressing ecological challenges from the operations of Hydroelectric Dams.

The law establishing it was first signed into law in 2010, but later amended in 2013 to take care certain inadequacies, especially the inclusion of Benue and Plateau States and also the addition of a 30 percent revenue derived from the total revenue accruing to the companies or authorities operating in the host communities with 10% revenue derived from concessioning of the hydro plants and royalties paid to the Federal Government.

However, in 2016, the law was aging amendment effectively reducing the percentage from 30%to 10% on the total revenue deductible from revenue generated by any company or authority from the operations of any hydroelectric dam, in any member state of the Commission

In 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, constituted the first Governing Council for the Commission which was inaugurated in December, 2020. The main quest of the Commission is to harness resources in the most transparent, acceptable and cost-efficient manner towards ameliorating the negative effects of hydroelectric dam operations in HYPPADEC member states.

This includes the formulation of strategic policies and guidelines for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas and managing ecological menace due to operations of dams and other hydroelectric power activities.

Ever since its inauguration, the Commission has been doing outstandingly well, raising bars and defeating the hope of traducers. In a significant, effective and efficient display of commendable commitment and equanimity, the Commission has over the years helped to define what an interventionist agency means in the current world especially for a country like Nigeria. An Agency that can promptly respond and mitigate against various environment and social challenges with a view to positively modifying their outcomes, thereby preventing harm or/and improving proper functioning of society.

Promote the rapid development of what the agency has achieved so far. And make a case for proper funding of the agency to make more impact on the lives of our constituents all over and across the country.

In a deliberate commitment towards ensuring that various catchment communities of the Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas derive benefits from the work of the Commission, it conducted several specific ‘Needs Assessment and Community Mapping’. This Assessments was used to generate information which was later utilized to improve the policy and programs decisions of the government, as well as redirect its focus in the areas of citizen’s needs, education, trainings, and organizational needs of the catchment areas, communities, and ensuring long-term success.

In a further bid to re-write the narratives, re-invent strategies and redeem the infrastructural image of the country, the Commission embarked upon the construction of various drainage channels, in erosion and flood endemic areas, to contain the menace of erosion threatening some of the affected communities. Two of these areas are the Idye drainage in Benue State and Patigi in Kwara State.

The Commission also constructed several classroom blocks and rehabilitated several others, provided about one hundred and fifty solar powered boreholes and installed thousands of solar street lights across the various political wards in the country.

Also the Commission ensured the provision of portable, accessible and clean drinking water on a daily basis to over 2.1 billion people nationwide, appreciating the uniqueness of water and its essence of it as a necessary factor to life and living.

In a demonstration of patriotism and foresight, the Commission constructed solar powered motorized boreholes in all the affected communities of Tse-Sor Community in Gwer East Local Government area of Benue State, Yauri in Kebbi State and New Bussa in Niger State to enhance access to potable water and ease the communities from the burden diseases occasioned by unhygienic water. These communities are all ancient settlements that were relocated to their present locations as a result of the construction of Kainji Dam and as a result are facing incessant water scarcity unbefitting of their status as headquarters of the historic emirates.

The Commission also provided water to Yauri and New Bussa to alleviate the problems of acute water scarcity in those communities, rehabilitated the Yauri and New Bussa waterworks and also cleared the water logs in various communities to enhance water transportation, commerce and economic development and growth.

The Commission also distributed over ten thousand life jackets to the boat operators in the communities, enhancing water transportation safety. And also distributed over two thousand motorcycles to members of the vigilante groups and other security operatives to contain the menace of insecurity in the affected communities.

In order to ameliorate the sufferings of the victims of flood disaster in Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Plateau States, relief materials worth more than millions of naira was distributed to the affected communities.by the Commission.

In consolidation of its Educational Support Programme, the Commission sponsored 4000 students to re-sit their Senior School Certificate Examinations with the National Examination Council and provided scholarship for students in tertiary institution.

Also the Commission carried out medical outreaches, including surgeries, across the six HYPPADEC States impacting on over 20,000 patients were attended to.

The Commission gas overtime rescued several villages from marauding herdsmen and various forms of attacks, granting Security Supports through the provision of over 2,500 motorcycles to security operatives in host communities, thereby emphasizing and reiterating the imperatives of security as the paramount importance in the development of any society, and a precondition for proper articulation, formulation and implementation of developmental agenda by those at the helm of affairs in every society.

The Commission has enhanced the training of her staff through attendance to various workshops, courses and seminars so as to enhance capacity building and the production of and efficient, effective, competent and productive workforce.

Through its Youth Transformation Programme, the Commission also empowered over five thousand youths in various skills for self-reliance.

Indeed the various projects of the Commission is highly demanding of both financial and material provision, making it necessary for the upward review of the budgetary allocation of the Commission. For instance, just recently, the Commission again provided seven hand pump boreholes for the seven village communities out of the fifty-one communities earmarked under Wuya-Kede Ward.

There is also urgent need to immediately survey and assess the status of all the dams to ensure that they do not pose threats to the host communities.

There are also strenuous constraints and needs for interventions in various communities and villages, as citizens daily are confronted by the death of their loved ones, destruction of properties resulting from natural disaster and man-made conflict, destruction of farmlands, animals, schools and health centers by floods, and provision of potable water.

The increase in budgetary funding so advocated for will enhance and create more impact on the lives of our constituents all over and across the country.

The relieve and renewed hope given by the focused, patriotic and people-oriented leadership coupled with the sincere drive and positive efforts of the Managing Director/CEO Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa Fcna, FNIM (Katukan Yauri) is as well steering a new and fundamental course, driving several innovations and holistically conscientious strategies.

He has indeed demonstrated what the country need to prosper as a nation, and amplified the fact that, it is more of a question of determination and honesty of purpose. Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa Fcna, FNIM (Katukan Yauri) has demonstrated in no small measure that YES, we can as a nation and that everything is possible.

Ochapa is a geologist writing from Makurdi, Benue State.