The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has demanded funding partners to fulfil their obligations to meet the need of the people.
Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, Managing Director of HYPPADEC, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Minna.
He said that the enormous initiatives outlined by the Federal Government for the commission would be met only through the cooperation and support of funding partners.
NAN reports that commission’s sources of funding include not less than 40 per cent from the Federal Government, 10 per cent of concession fees paid by the hydroelectric power generation companies and 50 per cent of what is due to member states from the ecological funds.
The states that are the member of this commission are Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, Plateau and Benue while its act made provision for any state with a new hydroelectric power producing dams to be admitted.
Yelwa said that the generating companies’ cooperation in funding would go a long way towards the achievement of the objectives of the commission.
He urged the Gencos to see their contributions as humanitarian issues as well as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to their host communities.
‘’The paucity of fund from the Federal Government due to global meltdown and the COVID-19, had an impact on the resources available to the commission to carry out its tasks.
‘’But still we have been able to achieve a lot with available resources. We had a take-off grant of N1 billion which is a far cry from taking care of the problems already on ground.
”For now we have provided portable water, rehabilitated schools, avail residents of medical outreach, life saving jackets for ferries as well as carried out our skill acquisition trainings programmes for youths,’’ he said.
Yelwa said that the encomium received by the commission in all its catchment areas was a thing of joy and encouragement to do more, adding that it was the objective for its establishment.
