The Federal Government of Nigeria has set all machinery in motion to assiduously ensure the swift take-off of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) with a view to addressing the perennial challenge of flooding and manage other ecological menace ravaging the people in the areas.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN made this known in Argungu while paying a sympathy visit to the people of Kebbi State that were recently affected by the flood.
This is contained in a statement issued by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice which was made available to newsmen.
According to the Minister, in the recent past Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, and similar states of the federation have been experiencing annual flooding of the River Niger and its tributaries of the three hydroelectricity dams in Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro resulting to unquantifiable afflictions including loss of lives, property, agricultural produce, land degradation, shelters, farms, and environments.
According to the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (Establishment, Etc,) Act, 2010 (No. 87 of 2010), the Commission shall, among other things:
(a) formulate policies and guidelines for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas;
(b) carry out a survey of hydroelectric power producing areas in order to ascertain measures which are necessary to promote its physical development;
(c) prepare schemes designed to promote the physical developments of the hydroelectric power producing areas:
(d) implement all measures approved for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas by the Federal Government; and
(e) tackle ecological problems that arise from overloading of dams in the hydroelectric power producing areas and advise Federal and State
Governments on the prevention and control of floods and environmental hazards.
Malami who sympathized with the people, the emir, and the emirates over the incident, prayed for Allah’s intervention against the reoccurrence of such experience.
The Minister, in collaboration with his two non-governmental organizations, handed over a cash denotation of one point five million naira and one million naira to Argungu and Augie communities respectively, and promised that his two Non-Governmental Organizations of Kadi Malami Foundation and Khadimiyya for Justice and Development will directly reach out to the affected communities and offer them humanitarian support and assistance
