Chairman Governing Council HYPADEC Hon. Barr. Joseph Terfa Ityev, managing Director HYPADEC Alh. Abubakar Mohammed Yelwa and flanked by other members of the commission

From Daniel Dauda, Jos


Hope has been raised for rural communities in Gashish district of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area Plateau State, as Hydroelectric power producing Areas Development Commission(HYPADEC), tour Kura falls power station owned by Nigeria Electricity supply Corporation (NESCO).

Our correspondent learned that Kura falls in Gashish district of Barkin Ladi LGA have previously  had its own share of incessant attacks by Fulani herders where hundreds of lives and properties worth billions of Naira were lost.

Our correspondent also observed that the economic activities is in low pedestal as many of the locals who were been chased out from their ancestral lands are gradually returning.

However, with HYPADEC visit to the serene adventure environment, Kura-falls which was established in 1928, most residents believed that the commission would impact positively on the lives of the rural populace.

According to the chairman Governing Council HYPADEC- Hon. Barr. Joseph Terfa Ityev, said their visit is to take an under spot assessment of the area and seek for collaboration.

"In continuation of our familiarization tour we visited Niger state and we are in Plateau State in Nigeria Electricity supply Corporation,NESCO to familiarize with this dam and discuss with the residence of this community to see the interface with the owners of the dam and the residence of this place.

"The mandate of the HYPERDEC is to look at the challenges been faced by the residence and host community. And the reason why we are here is to be able to appraise the relationship between the owners of this dam and the interface, the kind of relationship this is the continuation of tour we have started since last week.

"The commission was signed into law in 2010 and amended in 2013. our functions basically is to implement programmes, projects that address hardship occasion by communities where hydro dams are located.

"It is quite impressive looking at the time this dam was initiated. From the technical officer he told us that work commence in 1928, and we are very impressive to what we are seeing and when we get back will be able to get a good report and probably come back soon to continue with our work of trying to see how we can upgrade the living standard of the host communities around the areas where hydro dams are located", the Chairman explained.

Also speaking, Alh. Abubakar Sadiq-managing director HYPADEC, acknowledged; as you can see we are well prepared. All the members of the governing council are set to go to any community and ensure the lives of the dam community are improve and that is the essence of our existence. 

"We want to make sure there children go to good schools, we want to make sure that children that have graduated from school who get the opportunity to work on their own not to employ but to be employers of labour.

"We want to make sure that their wives, women get something to improve their economy, and improve on their current economic activities. We want them to be proud that God has created them in this community that is the essence of creating HYPADEC. 

"As you can see we didn't came here alone. We came here with the representative of the village head, that is our major intension to make sure that we ask from the community what is their feelings, what do they expect from more than what they are having now, how can we improve better relationships between the community and the power producing institutions and that is why we are here", Sadiq hinted.

Expressing his ordeal, representative of District head of Gashish, Da Mark Danboyi revealed that they have a long lasting relationship with NESCO for about more than 20 decades ago with our forefathers.

He lamented serious hazard during the rainy season that continuously affecting their farm products.

"The water from the dam destroy our farmlands. We need the intervention of HYPADEC. We normally have that kind of problems because people are farmers and Fishermen; and when they felt inside the water you might not going to see them again.

"I am very impressive because I see a very high power delegation from Federal Government and we want them to intercede for us most especially in the area of schools and healthcare because we have been here for a decades!

Youth representative Mafulul David shed his experience when we were growing up we found out that NESCO has established some schools and hospitals. We want HYPADEC to help our youths in the area of skills acquisition programmes so that to be self sufficient.

"It is only the children of NESCO staff that are entitled to scholarship with the exception of other community members".