The Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) says it is poised to improve the living standard of host communities in all areas where hydro dams are located in the country.
Joseph Ityav, the Chairman, Governing Council of the Commission, said this in Jos on Tuesday during the inspection of facilities at the Nigeria Electricity Supply Corporation (NESCO) in Kurra Falls, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.
Ityav also expressed the commitment of the commission and the Federal Government to make women and youths economically self reliant in the area.
“We are in NESCO to familiarise with the dam and to discuss with the host communities on the relationship between the owners of the dam and the community.
“Our mandate is to look at the challenges being faced by the host communities and to appraise the relationship between the owners of the dam and the community.
“Our desire is to see how we can raise the living standard of the host communities in all the areas where hydro dams are located.
“We want to make sure that women and youths in the communities get something to improve their economy to be economically self reliant,” he said.
The Managing Director, HYPPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, said the commission would be working with the communities to provide physical development in the area.
“The President had asked us to come here because he cares about the communities living around hydroelectric power, the Government wants to improve their livelihoods and improve their standard of living.
“We want to find out from the communities what they have on ground now, and how to improve on the relationship between the communities and the power producing Institutions,” Yelwa said.
The village head of Kurra Falls, Mr Mark Danboyi, said there had been mutual working relationship between HYPPADEC and the community while seeking the intervention of the federal government on persistent flood in the area.
Danboyi said the community had suffered untold hardships such as lack of basic amenities, with their farms and other sources of livelihoods usually destroyed and washed away by dams used to generate electricity during the raining season.
The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba, while receiving the entourage, appealed to the commission to carry out their assignment dutifully and make a positive change.