HYPPADEC To train 490 Kogi Youths on vocational trades.
Treasure Ochemeje
In its commitment to mitigate hardship faced by Communities living within the hydropower hub, the HydroElectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission HYPPADEC has concluded arrangements to train 490 kogi Youths on various vocational trades.
This is just as it will relocate over 180 households in Edeha community living under the Murtala Muhammad Bridge in Kogi Local Government of Kogi state.
Dr Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, Managing Director of HYPPADEC disclosed this at a one-day stakeholders meeting for dissemination of report on the outcome of Needs Assessment Exercise conducted by the Commission on Thursday in Lokoja.
He said that HYPPADEC would build 250 two-bedroom flats for the 180 households in the Edeha community which was always submerged each time floods came and had to all relocate to other places till the floods receded.
Yelwa said that upon enquiry, it was discovered that they were always submerged by the perennial flood which had become a recurring decimal in the state, necessitating permanent relocation.
Yelwa added that the Commission approached the traditional ruler in the area and was allocated land for the resettlement project but required government approval.
The HYPPADEC Managing Director said the team came to the state today with the Bill of Quantity for the project in the hope that government would ratify the approval paper for the commission to commence work on the project.
Dr Lillian Iwu, Programme Financial Adviser of “New Approach”, HYPPADEC partners, warned the benefiting households should not resell the houses and go back to their former settlements.
She urged the state government to put the evacuated land to some other use to discourage the resettled households from going back to inhabit the place.
Iwu said that the resettlement project was a way of helping the families especially, young ones, children and pregnant women adding, “If we relocate them to a new settlement, life will make better meaning to them.”
Alhaji Isa Ozi Salami, Member, HYPPADEC Governing Council representing Kogi State expressed gratitude to Kogi Government for it’s support to the Commission and especially for displaying transparency.
He however urged the government expedite action in processing the land documents for the resettlement project to commence.
Gov. Yahaya Bello, represented by his Deputy, Chief Edward David Onoja commended HYPPADEC for its laudable programmes with direct bearing on the citizens of the state.
He was also full of appreciation to the Commission for the training of 460 youths from the state, planned provision of 1,250 motorcycles to flood affected communities, mobile clinics and Primary Health Care facilities for the various communities.
