Gombe, Commission Roll Out Interventions For Dam-host Communities

The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing ecological challenges and improving livelihoods in hydroelectric power–producing communities in Gombe State.

Leading a management delegation on a courtesy visit to the state during the weekend, the managing director of the commission, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, said the inclusion of Gombe in the commission’s mandate was a deliberate move to ensure that communities hosting national power assets are not left to shoulder environmental and socio-economic burdens alone.

Yelwa explained that Gombe’s membership of the commission stems from its hosting of the Dadin Kowa Hydropower Dam, noting that communities around the dam have endured flooding, environmental degradation and loss of farmlands and fishing grounds over the years.

“While Nigeria benefits immensely from hydroelectric power, it is only right that communities bearing the ecological cost receive targeted interventions to restore livelihoods and promote sustainable development,” he said.

According to the managing director, N-HYPPADEC has already executed several projects across Gombe State since 2024, including the distribution of 1,100 life jackets to riverine communities, the provision of a flying boat for emergency response in Kupto community of Funakaye local government area, the installation of 34 solar streetlights, and the construction of 16 solar-powered boreholes at various stages of completion.

He added that the commission has also desilted about 40,000 linear metres of blocked drainages and culverts to mitigate flooding, supplied 45 power tillers to boost agricultural productivity, constructed classroom blocks in Dukku, Nafada and Yamaltu-Deba local government areas, and paid NECO examination fees for 30 students from the communities.

Despite the interventions, Yelwa stressed that the challenges facing dam-host communities require sustained collaboration, particularly in flood control, environmental protection, education, healthcare, agriculture and youth employment. He therefore sought the support of the state government in establishing area offices across affected locations to ensure faster response and community-driven project delivery.

Responding, the deputy governor, Daniel Manassah Jatau, described N-HYPPADEC as a properly placed institution tackling water-related challenges that have long affected communities in the state.

Jatau praised the commission for prioritising the welfare of host communities, citing the recent loss of lives due to boat mishaps as evidence of the urgent need for safety interventions. He assured that the state would intensify public education on the proper use of life jackets distributed by the commission.

He further appealed for expanded agricultural support, noting that the majority of Gombe residents are farmers whose livelihoods are often disrupted by flooding. The deputy governor also welcomed the proposal to establish area offices, pledging the state’s support to ensure services are taken closer to the people.