HYDROELECTRIC POWER PRODUCING AREAS DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (ESTABLISHMENT, ETC.) ACT

(1)
There is established the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (in this Act referred to as "the Commission") which-
(a)
shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal;and
(b)
may sue and be sued in its corporate name.

The Headquarters of the Commission shall be in Minna, Niger State.

(1)
There is established for the Commission a Governing Council (in this Act referred to as "the Council"), which consists of -
(a)
a chairman who shall be appointed on part time basis and shall preside over Council meetings;
(b) one person each who shall be from the affected
communities to represent-
(i) Benue,
(ii) Kebbi,
(iii) Kogi,
(iv) Kwara,
(v) Niger,
(vi) Plateau, and
(vii) any other State where hydro-electric power is generated.
(c)
two persons to represent other Non-Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas or States;
(d) one person each to represent Federal Ministry of -
(i) Power,
(ii) Environment,
(iii) Water Resources, and
(iv) Finance; and
(e) the Managing Director of the Commission.
(2)
The Chairman and other members of the Council shall be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate, except the persons mentioned in section 2 (1) (d) whose appointments shall not be subject to confirmation by the Senate.
(3) The office of the Chairman shall rotate among the member States of the Commission in the following alphabetical order-
(a) Benue;
(b) Kebbi;
(c) Kogi;
(d) Kwara;
(e) Niger;
(f) Plateau; and
(g) any other State where hydro-electric power is generated.

The Supplementary provisions set out in the Schedule to this Act shall have effect with respect to the proceedings of the Council and other matters.

The Council shall have the power to-
(a)
make broad policy and oversee the affairs of the Commission;
(b)
provide policy guidelines for carrying out the functions of the Commission;
(c)
enter and inspect premises, project and such place as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying out its function under this Act;
(d)
approve the payment to the staff of the Commission such remunerations and allowances as are payable to persons with equivalent grade in the Civil Service of the Federation;
(e)
enter into such contract as may be necessary or expedient for the discharge of its functions and ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Commission.
(f)
approve the appointment, promotion and discipline of senior staff of the Commission; and
(g)
do such other things as are necessary and expedient for the efficient performance of the function of the Commission.

(1)
The Chairman and members of the Council other than ex- officio members shall hold office for 4 years, renewable for one further period of 4 years only.
(2)
Members of the Council shall be paid such remuneration and allowances as the Federal Government may determine.

(1)
A person ceases to hold office as a member of the Council if -
(a)
he becomes bankrupt;
(b)
he is convicted of a felony or an offence involving dishonesty or fraud;
(c)
he becomes of unsound mind or incapable of carrying out his duties;
(d)
he is guilty of a serious misconduct in relation to his duties;
(e)
in the case of a person possessing professional qualification, he is disqualified or suspended, other than his own request, from practising his profession in any part of the world by an order of a competent authority made in respect of that matter; or
(f)
he resigns his appointment by a letter addressed to the President.
(2)
A member of the Council may be removed by the President if it is not in the interest of the Commission or of the public that the member should continue in office.
(3)
Where a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Council', it shall be filled by the appointment of a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of office of his predecessor, and the successor shall -
(a)
represent the same interest; and
(b)
be appointed by the President as provided in this Act.

(1) The Commission shall -
(a)
formulate policies and guidelines for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas;
(b)
conceive, plan and implement, in accordance with set rules, projects and programmes for the development of hydroelectric power producing areas;
(c)
carry out a survey of hydroelectric power producing areas in order to ascertain measures which are necessary to promote its physical development;
(d)
prepare schemes designed to promote the physical developments of the hydroelectric power producing areas and estimate the cost of implementing such schemes;
(e)
implement all measures approved for development of hydroelectric power producing areas by the Federal Government;
(f)
identify factor inhibiting the development of the hydroelectric power producing areas and assist States in the formulation and implementation of policies to ensure sound and efficient management of the resources of thehydroelectric power producing areas;
(g)
assess and report on any project being Funded or carried out in the hydroelectric power producing areas and ensure that Funds released for such project are properly utilised;
(h)
tackle ecological problems that arise from overloading of dams in the hydroelectric power producing areas and advise Federal and State Governments on the prevention and control of floods and environmental hazards;
(i)
execute such other work and perform such other functions which, in the opinion of the Commission, are required for the development of the hydroelectric power producing areas and their people; and
(j)
carry out such other functions as the President may direct.
(2)
In exercising its functions under this section, the Commission shall have regard to the varied and specific contributions of each member State of the Commission.

There shall be established in the Commission the following Directorates -(a) Directorate of Finance and Administration;
(b) Directorates of Operations;
(c) Directorates of Engineering and Technical Services;
(d) Directorates of Community and Rural Development;
(e) Directorates of Legal Services; and
(f) Directorates of Planning, Research and Statistics.

(1)
There shall be for the Commission a Management Committee which shall consist of -
(a)
the Managing Director who shall be the Chief Executive Officer and Head of the Management Committee; and
(b)
Directors responsible for the Directorates established under section 9 of this Act.
(2)
The ManagementCommittee shall be responsible for the general operations and administration of the Commission.

(1)
There shall be established for the Commission an Advisory Committee which shall consist of-
(a) all Governors of member States of the Commission; and
(b)
one person from each of the member States and five other persons from the remaining five geo- political zones of the Federation excluding the North Central Zone.
(2)
The advisory Committee shall appraise and advise the President on the general activities and functions of the Commission at least once every year.
(3)
The Advisory Committee shall regulate its own proceedings.

(1)
There shall be a Managing Director for the Commission who shall be -
(a)
appointed by the President subject to confirmation by the Senate;
(b)
be a competent Nigerian; and
(c)
hold office on such terms and conditions as may be specified in his letter of appointment and in accordance with this Act.
(2)
The Managing Director shall -
(a)
be an indigene from among the member States of the Commission, whose appointment and tenure shall rotate among member States in alphabetical order provided that the Chairman and Managing Director shall not be indigenes of the same State;
(b)
be responsible for the general supervision of the employees of the Commission;
(c)
be the Chief Accounting Officer of the Commission; and
(d)
hold office for a term of 4 years and renewable for another term of 4 years and no more.
(3)
The Director of the Directorate of Legal Services shall be the Secretary of the Commission and shall, subject to the general direction of the Council, be responsible for -
(a) the administration of the Secretariat of the Council; and
(b)
keeping the books and proper records of the proceedings of the Council.

(1)
Service in the Commission shall be permanent and pensionable for the purpose of the Pension Reform Act and persons employed in the Commission shall be entitled to such pensions, gratuities and other retirement benefits as are prescribed in the Act.
(2)
Nothing in this Act shall prevent the appointment of a person to any office on terms which preclude the grant of pension and gratuity as in respect of that office.
(3)
For the purpose for the application of the provision for the Pensions Reform Act, any power exercised by the Minister or other authority of the Government of the Federation other than the power to make regulations is hereby vested in and shall be exercisable by the Commission and not by any other person or authority.

(1)
The Commission shall establish and maintain a Fund from which shall be defrayed all expenditure incurred by the Commission.
(2)
There shall be paid and credited to the Fund established pursuant to subsection (1) of this section -
(a) 10 percent of the total Federal Government's revenue derived from concessioning of the hydro plants and royalties paid to the Federal Government.
(b)
50 per cent of money due to member States of the Commission from the Ecological Funds;
(c)
all money raised for the purpose of the functions of the Commission by way of gifts, loans, grants-in-aid, testamentary disposition or otherwise; and
(d)
proceeds from all other assets that may, from time to time, accrue to the Commission.
(3)
The Federal Government shall contribute to the Fund by way of appropriations, through the National Assembly, a sum not less than 40 per cent of the Commission's annual budget.
(4)
The Fund shall be managed in accordance with the rules made by theCouncil, and without prejudice to the generality of the power to make rules under this subsection, the rules shall in particular contain provisions-
(a)
specifying the manner in which the assets of the Funds of the Commission are to be held and regulating the making of payments into and out of the Fund; and
(b)
requiring the keeping of proper accounts and records for the purpose of the Funds in such form as may be specified in the rules.

The Commission shall apply the proceeds of the Fund established pursuant to section 11 of this Act to-
(a)
the cost of administration of the Commission;
(b)
the payment of salaries, fees, remuneration, allowances, pensions and gratuities payable under this Act;
(c)
the payment for all contracts, including mobilisation, fluctuations, variations, legal fees and cost on contract administration;
(d)
the payment for all purchases; and
(e)
undertake such other activities as are connected with all or any of the functions of the Commission under this Act.

The Commission may accept gifts of land, money or other property on such terms and conditions, if any, as may be specified by the person or organization making the gift provided that such condition is in accordance with the laws of Nigeria.

The Commission may, with the consent of the President, borrow, on such terms and conditions as the Commission may determine, such sum of money as the Commission may require in the exercise of its functions under this Act.

(1)
The Council shall, not later than 31st October in each year, submit to the President an estimate of the expenditure and income of the Commission during the next succeeding year.
(2)
The Council shall cause to be kept proper accounts of the Commission in respect of each year and proper records in relation to the Fund and shall cause the accounts to be audited not later than 6 months after the end of each year by Auditors appointed from the list and in accordance with the guidelines supplied by the Auditor General for the Federation.

The Commission shall, at the end of every quarter in each year, submit to the President a report on the activities and administration of the Commission.

(1)
The Council shall prepare and submit to the President, not later than 30th June in each year, a report in such form as the President may direct on the activities of the Commission during the immediately preceding year, and shall be included in the report a copy of the audited accounts of the Commission for that year and the Auditors report.
(2)
The President shall, upon receipt of the report referred to in subsection (1) of this section, cause a copy of the report and the audited accounts of the Commission and the Auditors report to be submitted to each House of the National Assembly.

(1)
There is established for the Commission a Monitoring Committee which shall consist of such number of persons as the President may deem fit to appoint from the Public or Civil Service of the Federation.
(2)
The Monitoring Committee shall-
(a)
monitor the management of the Funds of the Commission and the implementation of the projects of the Commission; and
(b)
have access to the books of accounts and other records of the Commission at all times, and submit periodical reports to the President.

(1)
For the purpose of providing offices and premises necessary for the performance of its functions under this Act, the Commission may, subject to the Land Use Act-
(a) purchase or take on lease any interest in land, or other property;and
(b) construct offices and premises and equip and maintain same.
(2)
The Commission may, subject to the Land Use Act, sell or lease out any office or premises which is no longer required for the performance of its functions under this Act subject to the approval by the President.

(1)
The Commission may, subject to the Land Use Act, sell or lease out any office or premises which is no longer required for the performance of its functions under this Act subject to the approval by the President.
(2)
The Commission shall, with the approval of the President make regulations generally for the purpose of giving effect to this Act.

(1)
Subject to the provisions of this Act, the provisions of Public Officers Protection Act shall apply in relation to any suit instituted against any officer or employee of the Commission.
(2)
Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law or enactment, a suit shall not-
(a)
lie against any member of the Councilor the Managing Director for any act done in pursuance or execution of this Act or any other law or enactment, or of any public duty or authority or in respect of any alleged neglect or default in execution of this Act or such law or enactment, duty or authority, and
(b)
be instituted in any court unless-
(i) it is commenced within three months next after the act, neglect or default complained of, or
(ii) in the case of a continuation of damage or injury, within six months next after the ceasing of such damage or injury.
(3)
A suit shall not be commenced against a member of the Council, the Managing Director, officer or employee of the Commission before the expiration of a period of one month after written notice of intention to commence the suit shall have been served upon the Commission by the intending plaintiff and the relief which he claims.
(4)
The notice referred to in subsection (3) of this section shall clearly and explicitly state -
(a) the cause of action;
(b) the particulars of the claim,
(c)
the name and place of abode of the intending plaintiff; and
(d) the relief which he claims.

A notice, summons or other documents required or authorised to be served upon the Commission under the provisions of this act or any other law or enactment may be served by delivering it to the Managing Director or by sending it by registered post and addressed to the Managing Director at the principal officer of the Commission.

A member of the Council, the Managing Director, any officer or employee of the Commission shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Commission against any proceeding, whether civil or criminal in which judgment is given in his favour or in which he is acquitted, if any such proceeding is brought against him in his capacity as a member of the Council, the Managing Director, officer or employee of the Commission.

In this Act -
"Chairman" means the Chairman of the Council appointed under Section 3(1)(a) of this Act;
"Commission" means the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission established under section 1 of this Act;
"Council" means the Governing Council established for the Commission under section 3(1) of this Act;
"Indigene" means a person from Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau and any other State where hydroelectric power is generated;
"Member" means a member of the Council and includes the Chairman;
"Member States" means Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau and any other State where hydroelectric power is generated; and
"President" means the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This Act may be cited as Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (Establishment Etc.) Act, 2010.