The Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) has organized a town hall meeting with communities hosting facilities of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd (NESCO) in Jos.
The meeting that held on Sunday in Barkin Ladi local Government Area of the state, was attended by district and village heads and community leaders from the concerned communities.
NESCO is a private company that built a hydro -electric system at Kurra falls in 1929, and is supplying electricity to some parts of Plateau.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Saleh Kanam, the Commissioner representing Plateau in HYPPADEC, said the meeting was aimed at ascertaining the challenges being faced by the host communities.
Kanam said the interface would enable the commission to get first-hand information from the people on their plights owing to the presence of these facilities in their domain.
“This meeting is very critical because it is an interface with the immediate communities residing around the asset, particularly the dam site managed by NESCO.
“This is to get first-hand information on the nature of ecological problems posed to them by the presence of these facilities in their communities.
“And if there are benefits they should let us also know, so, we can see how these benefits can be maximized for the overall welfare and development of the state,”he said.
He said the interface would be a continuous exercise, adding that the commission would also visit the communities to see things for itself.
The commissioner said such move would help the commission in planning its development and welfare programmes for the communities.
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On her part, Mrs Anastasia Dongjur, Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Environment, commended HYPPADEC for the initiative and described it as “timely”
Dongjur said the deliberations at the meeting would enable communities to state their challenges, with a view to finding ways of addressing them.
“This meeting seeks to address critical issues affecting the environment, causing climate change, degradation and other ecological problems that our people are facing, ”she said
Our correspondent report that issues raised by the various communities at the meeting bordered on lack of infrastructure development, employment opportunities and absence of electricity in the communities, among others.
