By Ismail Adebayo
The management of Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), has been told that the only solution to the perennial flooding in the HYPPADEC zones in Kebbi State is the dredging of the River Niger.
The Governor of Kebbi State, Mr. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, gave the advice at one day stakeholders meeting organised by HYPPADEC on the Dissemination of Report on the Outcome of Needs Assessment Exercise of the commission’s host communities in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
Bagudu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Babale Umar-Yauri, said: “HYPPADEC should take dredging of River Niger into consideration as the dredging will solve most of the challenges of perennial flood in the affected hydroelectric power producing communities.”
He assured HYPPADEC of his administration’s commitment to cooperate and support it in order to mitigate the sufferings of the communities affected by flood in the state.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the HYPPADEC, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa, said that the commission came at a time when the nation was suffering from insecurity, financial and economic challenges.
Sadiq-Yelwa said: “We are looking at having Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that are ready to support us but they have to see the level of our commitment in project planning and execution. This exercise is a result of their own initiative, which we accepted fully and implemented.
“The exercise went round the affected states, villages and wards to see the situation the people are living in; the kind of environmental and economic suffering as well as social deprivation as a result of the presence of River Niger.”
He explained that the aim of the meeting was to listen to the views and suggestions of stakeholders in the affected areas in order to incorporate them into the project implementation.
“We don’t want to go into project execution without the inputs of the people. This is a higher-level meeting to get a higher level concept on how to address the happenings,” he said.
In her remarks, the Financial Adviser on the Needs Assessment Programme, Dr. Lillian Iwu, said that it was difficult for them to work on assumption in the modern world, hence the need to map out the needs assessment on how the NGO would intervene and render its support.
Iwu said: “t is a heavy exercise that we are interested in ameliorating the lingering suffering of the people.”
