Health
Increase funding for flood mitigation, N-HYPPADEC urges FG
By Toheeb Omotayo
The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission has called on the Federal Government to increase funding for flood mitigation across hydroelectric power-producing communities, saying the recently approved intervention fund is inadequate to address the scale of the looming flooding challenge.
The call was made on Tuesday during the opening of a three-day management consultative meeting in Ilorin, where state coordinators and area officers from N-HYPPADEC’s mandate states converged to assess ongoing projects, review operational challenges and chart strategies for more effective service delivery in hydroelectric power-producing communities.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the meeting, the Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Yelwa, said the consultative meeting forms part of the Commission’s quarterly review mechanism aimed at evaluating projects, addressing implementation bottlenecks, and improving service delivery.
“We are here as part of the Commission’s annual practice of holding quarterly meetings with management and staff to discuss issues affecting the implementation of our projects and programmes,” Yelwa said.
“We also listen to the various directorates and divisions to understand the challenges they face and receive feedback from the communities through them.”
On flood preparedness, Yelwa said the Commission has sustained annual sensitisation campaigns ahead of every rainy season in collaboration with state governments, traditional institutions, and the media to minimise the impact of flooding on vulnerable communities.
“It is also an annual practice of the Commission to organise sensitisation campaigns in all affected communities and local government areas three to four months before the rainy season.
“We do not do this alone; we collaborate with state governments, traditional institutions, and the media to ensure that members of the public are adequately informed about the likely impact of flooding,” he said.
He disclosed that N-HYPPADEC has also begun implementing resettlement initiatives for residents living in flood-prone communities.
“We also use the opportunity to advise residents to relocate to higher grounds. In some communities, we have started constructing houses to resettle those who are most likely to be severely affected by flooding,” he added.
While commending the FG for approving a flood intervention fund through the National Economic Council, Yelwa described the initiative as a welcome step towards proactive disaster management but insisted that more resources would be required.
“I am pleased that about two weeks ago, the National Economic Council approved about N80 billion to address the anticipated flooding in vulnerable communities. This is the first proactive intervention by the government, and it is exactly the kind of initiative we need,” he said.
He, however, maintained that the approved amount would not be sufficient to tackle the anticipated flooding nationwide.
“Of course, we have informed the government that the amount is inadequate considering the magnitude of the challenge. However, it is always better to make a start than to do nothing at all.
“I commend the Federal Government and Mr President for this commendable initiative, and I hope more funding will be allocated to tackle the expected flooding across the affected states,” he added.
The N-HYPPADEC boss also lamented the Commission’s funding structure, noting that it has yet to receive its statutory allocation from hydroelectric power generation companies.
“Despite the financial constraints facing HYPPADEC, I am confident that the Commission is fulfilling its mandate. Our primary source of funding is supposed to be 10 per cent of the revenue generated by the hydroelectric generating companies (HydroGenCos), but we are yet to begin receiving those statutory contributions.
“What we have been relying on is funding from the national budget and contributions from the state governments. Fortunately, the states have been consistent and supportive, and that is how we have managed to sustain our operations,” he said.
Speaking on the implementation of the “No Work, No Pay” policy, Yelwa said the measure is consistent with existing public service regulations.
“The ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy is not new in the public service. If an employee fails to report for duty without a valid reason, such a person is not entitled to receive payment.
“It would be unfair to pay someone who is absent from work while others consistently fulfil their responsibilities. That is the context in which we are implementing the policy,” he explained.
On expectations from the consultative meeting, the Managing Director said member states should expect improved project delivery, stronger stakeholder engagement and greater collaboration with state governments.
“The member states should expect more active project implementation, increased consultations by our state coordinators and area officers, and stronger collaboration because that is one area we are deliberately strengthening.”
“We do not want to implement projects alone. We want to work closely with state governments so that we can jointly fund projects. In the future, we also hope to involve communities in co-funding some of our interventions. That way, they will develop a stronger sense of ownership and ensure the sustainability of those projects,” he said.
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