Four new states, namely Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba and Gombe States have been enlisted into the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission.
Abubakar Yelwa, Managing Director of the commission, made the disclosure on Monday during a five-day capacity-building workshop on a social standards short course held in Kaduna State.
According to the HYPPADEC boss, the admission of the four states into the membership of the commission followed President Bola Tinubu’s recent assent to the New Electricity Act.
He explained that with the addition of four states into HYPPADEC, the number of its members increases to 10, comprised of over 1,800 communities spread across Benue, Plateau Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi and Niger states.
Yelwa also announced the management’s decision to create a new Agricultural Division in the Directorate of Community.
He noted that the development was a significant increase in the scope of work and responsibility for the Directorate which he described as the backbone of the commission.
While the theme of the workshop is ‘Social Standard Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes Necessary for Effective Community Engagement and Sustainable Rural Development, its objective included the enhancement of participants’ skills and knowledge of the global best practices for community engagement