Managing Director HYPADEC, Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa speaking at the town hall meeting in Ilorin. Photo: Fatihat Olayitan
Four Hundred and Ninety youths in Kwara State are to be trained by Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission, HYPPADEC, on ways to tackle the crisis of flooding in riverine areas across the state.
HYPPADEC Managing Director, Alhaji Abubakar Yelwa made this known at a stakeholders meeting held at Banquet Hall, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Mallam Yelwa who explained that the training scheduled to run for six months with a focus on youths from the riverine areas alone, would cut across graduates, nongraduates, artisans, and others.
He also stated that motorised boreholes would be provided for all the six communities identified for flooding.
Kwara State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Professor Shaaba Jibril called for dredging of River Niger which would concentrate on the segments of affected rivers and planting of trees along the banks of River Niger and Benue especially in areas of persistent flooding.
Director-General, Economic, and Soil Commission and Chairperson African Humanitarian Commission, Dr. Lilian Iwu, explained that the team had been going around affected States to investigate results gathered during the flooding incidents to ensure transparency.
The six affected communities picked from Kwara State are, Edu, Patigi, Baruteen, Kaiama, Lafiagi, and Moro Local Government Areas.
A former member House of Representatives, Mallam Aliu Ahman- Patigi urged HYPADEC to ensure that all efforts are put in place to mitigate the effects of flooding in the affected areas.
The event had in attendance royal fathers from riverine communities in Kwara including the representative of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
Reporting by Fatihat Olaitan; editing by Abdullahi Lamino