The Federal Government of Nigeria has set all machineries in motion ensure 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 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 hydro-electricity 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 arc 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 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 reoccurance of
such experience.
The Minister, in collaboration with two non-governmental organizations, handed over a cash denotation of N1.5 million, 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.
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