By Haruna Usman
Riverine communities in Kebbi State have been urged to shift from total reliance on government aid to proactive grassroots flood prevention.
The charge was given by Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa, the Managing Director of the National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), during a high-profile sensitization visit to the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammad Samaila-Mera, on Saturday.
Sadiq-Yelwa emphasized that the commission’s latest enlightenment campaign aims to instill a sense of community ownership over basic disaster prevention. He noted that straightforward, localized actions—like clearing out choked drainage systems—can drastically minimize seasonal flood damage.
“Our visit is to sensitize communities on the need to be proactive in preventing floods,” Sadiq-Yelwa stated. “They should not wait for the government to do everything for them because there are certain things they can do on their own, such as desilting drains and waterways.”
While championing self-reliance, the Managing Director assured that N-HYPPADEC will step in with heavy-duty interventions wherever challenges surpass local capacity.
To back its sensitization drive with direct action, the commission outlined an aggressive rollout of safety and engineering projects for the Argungu Emirate.
The managing director said N-HYPPADEC will evacuate 6,000 linear meters of drainage channels stretching from Bachaka to the Old Mosque near the Kanta Museum to optimize water flow.
As part of a massive regional safety initiative, 100 life jackets were presented to the Emir for local boat operators. Sadiq-Yelwa revealed that the distribution of 20,000 life jackets across mandate areas in 2025 slashed boat accident fatalities by roughly 60%. The commission targets distributing over 50,000 more jackets before the conclusion of 2026.
Plans are underway to donate a modern vessel to the Argungu Emirate to boost access to remote riverine zones, construct emergency shelters for displaced residents, and map out alternative access routes to cut dependency on risky river transport.
Traditional leaders were further urged to enforce strict waterway regulations, explicitly targeting the eradication of night travel and the operation of vessels under the influence of drugs.
Responding to the delegation, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammad Samaila-Mera, highly commended N-HYPPADEC for its visible, life-saving impact on host communities.
However, highlighting the commission’s tight financial constraints, the monarch made a dual appeal urging hydroelectric power firms benefiting from the Kainji Dam to faithfully remit their statutory financial obligations to the commission.
He called for the prioritized, prompt release of N-HYPPADEC’s statutory allocations before standard Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements are finalized.
The traditional ruler concluded by noting that the safety and long-term development of power-producing host communities hinge entirely on the financial health and continuity of the commission’s vital interventions.