The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) says it has distributed 1,250 life jackets to riverine communities and desilted more than 40,000 linear metres of drainages and culverts in Kaduna State as part of efforts to mitigate flooding and improve the livelihoods of residents.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, disclosed this on Monday during a stakeholders’ interactive session in Kaduna.

Yelwa said the interventions formed part of the commission’s mandate to address the ecological, environmental and socio-economic challenges confronting communities hosting hydroelectric power infrastructure.

He said the commission was implementing projects in infrastructure, environmental protection, flood management, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and rural development across its member states.

“Our mandate is clear: to improve the living conditions of communities that bear the environmental consequences of hydroelectric power generation through strategic interventions in infrastructure, environmental protection, flood management, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and rural development,” he said.

Highlighting projects executed in Kaduna, Yelwa said N-HYPPADEC had also provided an operational flying boat to strengthen emergency response, established a tree nursery with 1,000 seedlings for environmental restoration, constructed solar-powered boreholes and installed solar streetlights in benefiting communities.

He added that the commission distributed power tillers to farmers to boost agricultural productivity, constructed classroom blocks and supported students through the payment of UTME and O’Level examination fees.

According to him, sustained flood awareness campaigns have also been carried out in collaboration with relevant government agencies to reduce the impact of flooding in vulnerable communities.

“These projects reflect our determination to address the peculiar developmental and environmental needs of Kaduna State,” he said.

The managing director noted that Kaduna became one of the commission’s beneficiary states following the expansion of N-HYPPADEC’s mandate under the Electricity Act.

He described the stakeholders’ interactive session as an opportunity to review the commission’s activities, identify emerging priorities and strengthen collaboration with governments, traditional institutions, development partners and host communities.

“Sustainable development can only be achieved through active collaboration, mutual trust and shared responsibility,” Yelwa said.

He assured stakeholders that the commission would continue to deliver its statutory mandate with transparency, accountability and measurable impact in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.