The Managing Director of Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa has declared open the HYPPADEC Youth Transformation Programme (YTP) in Lokoja the Kogi State Capital today.
Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq in his speech revealed that his commission’s desire is to improve the living standard of Nigerian’s teeming youths across the six HYPPADEC States.
The Managing Director who was represented by the Director of Admin and Finance at HYPPADEC, Mr. Gabi Haruna noted that the HYPPADEC Youth Transformation Programme (YTP) is a project designed by the Commission in collaboration with other critical stakeholder such as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), New Approach and Minna Institute of Technology and Innovation (MITI) to take over 5,000 youths off the streets via life changing SKill Acquisition exercise in order to give the targeted youths opportunities to contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities and to contain the risen cases of insecurity and other criminal activities in our society. 
In a statement according to the State HYPPADEC Coordinator, Engr. Mrs. Joan Oguche “Youth Transformation Programme is part of the overall effort of HYPPADEC to provide developmental project and empowerment initiatives to the riverine communities across the six HYPPADEC member states” she said.
In her word “the aim of the Youth Transformation Programme is to empower and equip our teeming jobless youths with various trades in order to reduce poverty, redundancy and unemployment which will in turn encourage, self reliance and economic productivity in the six HYPPADEC States” stressing that, with this magnitude of impact by the commission the kogi HYPPADEC team will ensure strict supervision of the project for its actualization.
She further disclosed that the curriculum covers ten different trades which includes Tailoring/fashion and designing, fish farming, poultry farming, baking and confectionary, shoe and bag making, computer Appreciation, Cosmetology, Barbing and hair dressing saloon and Event management/decoration.
Engr. Joan also appealed to the both the master trainers and the trainees to be committed to the exercise so that the effort of the Federal Government would not be frustrated. 
Among the dignitaries present in the occasion are the Honourable Commissioner for youths and sports Hon. Idris Musa, the Commissioner for Environemnt Hon. Victor Omofaiye, Director of Admin and Finance HYPPADEC Mal. Gabi Haruna, Director of Community and Rural Development HYPPADEC, represented by Mal. Zakari Muhammed, Assistant Director Audit HYPPADEC Hajiya Salamatu and the Kogi State Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment Mal. Zakari Abubakar.
Joan finally prayed to God for safe return of all participants successfully.
