By Faridat Salifu
The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) says it is scaling up environmental restoration and climate resilience projects in Kaduna State to address the ecological impacts of hydroelectric power generation and reduce disaster risks.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, disclosed this on Monday during a stakeholders’ interactive session in Kaduna.
Yelwa said the commission has established a tree nursery with 1,000 seedlings to support environmental restoration while implementing flood mitigation projects across vulnerable communities.
He said N-HYPPADEC has desilted more than 40,000 linear metres of drainage channels and culverts to improve water flow and reduce flooding, alongside sustained flood awareness campaigns conducted with relevant government agencies.
According to him, the commission has also distributed 1,250 life jackets to riverine communities and provided an operational flying boat to strengthen emergency preparedness and response.
Yelwa added that solar-powered boreholes and solar streetlights have been installed to improve access to clean water and sustainable energy in beneficiary communities.
Beyond environmental interventions, he said the commission has distributed power tillers to farmers to boost agricultural productivity and constructed classroom blocks while sponsoring UTME and O’Level examination fees for students.
He explained that the projects are part of N-HYPPADEC’s mandate to improve infrastructure, environmental protection, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and rural development in hydroelectric power-producing communities.
The managing director noted that the commission operates in 10 member states, covering more than 100 local government areas and over 2,000 host communities.
He said Kaduna became eligible for the commission’s interventions following the expansion of N-HYPPADEC’s mandate under the Electricity Act.
Yelwa called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to ensure sustainable development and pledged that the commission would continue implementing projects with transparency, accountability and measurable impact.
