The Hydro-Electricity Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) Monday in Lokoja inaugurated its operational office in Kogi.
It was reported that the office, which is strategically located, was donated to the commission by the Kogi Government to assist HYPPADEC to execute its assignment to the 10 flood prone local government areas in the state.
Inaugurating the facility, Representative of the Commission’s Governing Board, from Kogi, Alhaji Isa Ozi-Salami, described the occasion as laudable and heartwarming to the entire people of Kogi.
“What we’re doing here today is facilitating capacity building and to enhance communication between the commission and the people of Kogi. What HYPPADEC is doing across the six benefiting states across the country is serving humanity as many lives, particularly the poor masses, are being touched and uplifted. Thanks be to God for the man behind the Commission’s success story in the person of Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa, the Managing Director, who is a genius in service to humanity,’’ he said.
Yelwa, in his speech, thanked Gov. Yahaya Bello and his administration for providing the operational office for the commission, describing it as an encouraging gesture that can create the enabling environment for better service.
The HYPPADEC boss said that the commission would use the edifice for five years after which it was expected to build and move into its own permanent office.
“As we appreciate this government for this gesture, as Oliver Twist, we are asking for a piece of land on which we can build our permanent office in the state.
“In the area of health, we intend to carry out another round of medical outreach programmes for the benefiting 10 flood affected LGAs in the state immediately after the Ramadan fasting.
“We have gotten approval from the governing board to provide electricity to over 200 communities in conjunction with the state government,’’ he said.
Yelwa said that the commission would do more for the youths in the area of empowerment, scholarship and capacity building as they are “our future leaders and deserve to be assisted to fulfill their destiny”.
Bello described HYPPADEC as a household name in Kogi considering the quantum of assistance it had rendered to the people of the state.
Represented by the State Environment Commissioner, Victor Omofayle, the governor promised to continue to partner the commission to ensure that lives of people of Kogi were improved.
The youths from the 10 benefiting LGAs, who were in the venue with placards of various inscriptions of praises, honoured the managing director with an award for his outstanding performance.
