The Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission has completed the first rescue village in Nigeria in the Shiroro Local Government of Niger State.
The Managing Director of the Commission, Abubakar Yelwa, who made this known during a press briefing in Minna on Tuesday said the establishment of Rescue Villages is an intervention to provide succour for persons displaced by flood or banditry.
“The main aim of rescue village is to provide succour to the Internal Displaced Persons who are constantly affected by the annual flooding or the bandit attacks in the communities within HYPPADEC coverage area,” he said.
Yelwa also said that year in, year out, the people of the communities around rivers Benue, Kaduna and Niger suffer untold hardship adding that it necessitated the decision to provide a rescue village.
He said the first rescue village which will be launched on Thursday would be replicated in six HYPPADEC states as a pilot scheme consisting of two per state.
According to him, the Rescue Villages will serve as a second home for the affected people where all social amenities such as solar-powered electricity, houses, toilet facilities, potable water, security and others would be provided.
He further stated that the rescue village is a temporary settlement that people in the communities can move into the moment there is a threat.
The MD added that the Commission is to sensitise the public to the provision of the centre, inform the government, and provide security as its contribution, while its partners, the New Approach, will provide the structures and other necessary amenities.
He emphasized that the Commission is to embark on the provision of 60 housing units and 30 housing units in Muregi and Ketso villages respectively.