In a bid to reduce food vulnerability, promote inclusiveness, and create more opportunities for sustainable development, the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has launched the distribution of power tillers, life jackets, and relief materials in Niger State.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago officially flagged off the exercise on Tuesday at the Commission’s headquarters in Minna. He commended N-HYPPADEC’s Managing Director, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, describing him as a visionary leader who understands the critical role of food security in community development.
Bago said the initiative reflects N-HYPPADEC’s strong commitment to empowering communities and enhancing food production despite the recurring flood challenges affecting farmers. He urged farmers to embrace dry-season farming and pasture production in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agricultural and livestock development drive.
The governor further emphasized the need for strict enforcement of life jacket usage and continuous sensitization of waterway users to prevent boat mishaps.
“I encourage farmers in Niger State to venture into pasture production. Livestock will not crash. This will go a long way in addressing inter-communal clashes between farmers and herders in the country,” Bago said.
Acknowledging the state government’s strides in agriculture and infrastructure, N-HYPPADEC’s Managing Director, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to supporting agriculture as a tool for improving livelihoods, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring safe water transportation.
Yelwa disclosed that the relief package includes ₦10 million cash support, 165 power tillers, 4,000 life jackets, 500 bags of NPK fertilizer, 50 cartons of pesticides, and 100 cartons of herbicides for flood-affected communities in Mokwa and other local government areas.
“We have also recently awarded contracts for the supply of planters and knapsack sprayers for distribution to affected communities across our member states,” he added.
He noted that the intervention aligns with N-HYPPADEC’s mandate to promote sustainable development in hydroelectric power-producing areas.
In his goodwill message, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, lauded the Commission for its consistent support in agriculture and disaster response, particularly in riverine communities prone to boat accidents.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Matthew Ahmed, described the gesture as a remarkable demonstration of N-HYPPADEC’s holistic approach to community empowerment. He urged women and youths to leverage the Commission’s interventions to tackle unemployment and curb drug abuse in the state.
