The administration of President Bola Tinubu is dedicated to seeing all left-unfinished and inherited projects completed in the best interests of the people, as stated by Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
On Thursday, Utsev gave a speech while leading an inspection trip of the Ogbese Multi-purpose Dam in Ekiti State. Work on the project started in 2009 but was put on hold due to financial difficulties.
The minister promised that the project would be finished quickly and stated that Tinubu had approved funding for its completion. The project’s goals are to provide irrigation, generate hydropower, and supply water.
He said, “This administration is not leaving any stone unturned. All projects abandoned will be completed. We are going around the country, we are looking at projects that were abandoned so that when they are finished, they will yield the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
“This (dam) project started in 2009, the major challenge has been funding. That was why immediately after President Tinubu came on board last year, he approved funds. It is from the funds approved that materials for the turbines were supplied and are on the ground now.
“The aim of this dam is, when completed, to serve the environment. It will generate about 4 megawatts of electricity. It will enhance, irrigation, boost agriculture and water will also be supplied.”
The minister noted that while “about 70 per cent” of the project has been completed, “the installation of this hydro-power component will be completed and the second phase, which is water supply and the irrigation components, will also be done.”
When it was all said and done, he said, food production will increase and jobs would be generated for the youth population.
Utsev said, “We have successfully commissioned about three dams – one in Kogi State, one in Benue State and one in Jigawa State. We have also commissioned a lot of water supply schemes in different parts of the country. We are also undertaking some irrigation projects around the country.”
The ministry’s Director of Dams, Ali Dallah, said, “We have been able to make use of the available funds to arrive at the present progress.
“We have achieved 70 per cent with what was given to us. This dam, when completed, will provide 4 megawatts of electricity. It will give water supply to a population of 450,000 people which will come from Ise Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti Local Government Areas.”
Project Contractor Mr. Fahd Jammal stated that he would be willing to return to the site in order to finish the work as soon as funding became available.
In an effort to reduce poverty and improve the lives of people living in both rural and urban areas, the Federal Government, acting through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (now the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation), awarded a contract in 2009 for the construction of the Ogbese Multi-purpose Dam.
