nazret.com

Ethiopia - Three dam projects on Tana start this year

By Muluken Yewondwossen


Capital

The Ministry of Water Resources is to start three dam projects at a cost of 125.9 million ETB this fiscal year. The three projects are among the five which were planed to be undertaken last year around Lake Tana. For this year’s construction program, the Federal government covers all costs.

According to Sintayehu Asefa, Ministry of Water Resources public relations head, the projects study and designing stages cost 78 mln ETB. At completion, these three dams will have a capacity of accumulating 233.7 m3 of water. The projects are scheduled to be completed in fifteen months time.

According to Sintayehu, the contractor is completing 27 km road construction and other related works to aid the main construction work on the Gumer Ribe and Megech dams.

The design work for remaining two projects, Gilgel Abay and Jema will be completed at the end of this month, with an access road to be built following the study.

Sintayehu added that the study and design of Gumera irrigation and drainage works will be completed this budget year. The Lake Tana area irrigation study and design project covers more than 51 thousand hectares.

“The main reason to build these dams is to provide a better life for farmers who live in the area and support the economy of the country,” Sintayehu told Capital.
The Ministry of Water Resource has budgeted 1.207 bln ETB for projects this year.