By Mohammed Baba Busu
The New-National Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) plans to distribute starter packs to its 1,079 trainee graduates under the ‘Youths Transformation Programme’.
The Managing Director, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa disclosed at a critical meeting with the ten State Commissioners for Youths and National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) leaders in Minna on Tuesday.
Sadiq-Yelwa said the meeting was aimed at setting a policy framework for youth development in the ten the N- HYPPADEC states.
He added that the current distribution of starter packs was for the six pioneer states while the four new four states would be captured in future programmes.
The managing director also reiterated the commitment of the agency to the fulfilment of its mandates, hence the need for training and skills acquisition programmes in 33 vocational training schemes for unemployed youths.
Sadiq-Yelwa said that in 2022 when the commission began operations, empowerment and job creation had been the major targets.
He, however, understood that unemployment had been one of the major factors adversely affecting the lives of youths in the power-producing areas of the country
According to him, the first edition of the programme was completed this year and the second one would soon be inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu.
Sadiq-Yelwa said that the engagement with the commissioners was to co-chart ways for the successful conduct of the exercise.
He said that the commission, which took off nearly three years ago limited its operations to the six States of Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Plateau.
“However, with the signing of the 2023 Electricity Act by the President, the scope of the commission was expanded to accommodate other states.
“They are Gombe, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Taraba as well as all the non-hydroelectric power-producing areas across the country,” the managing director said.
He stated that in the six pioneer member states, over 1,800 communities across 55 LGAs were covered.
Saduq-Yelwa said, “As for the new member states, they are still working on identifying the communities in which they will limit their operations.”
Benue Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Creativity, Mr Dekimi Ikeng, in an interview, called for the expansion of the commission’s scope.
He also advocated more funds to enable the commission to carry out its enormous tasks ahead.
The Niger Chairman of NYCN, Mr Abdullahi Ishak and his Plateau counterpart, Steven Nkat, lauded the efforts of the commission since its inception. (NAN)
