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.
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 stated, “This administration is not leaving any stone untouched. All projects that were abandoned will be completed. We are traveling over the country, looking at abandoned projects in the hopes that when they are completed, they would provide Nigerians with democratic dividends.
“This (dam) project began in 2009, and the main problem has been money. That’s why President Tinubu granted funds right away when he took office last year. The granted monies were used to supply supplies for the turbines, which are already on the ground.
“The goal of this dam, once built, is to benefit the environment. It will generate approximately four megawatts of power. It will improve irrigation and agricultural productivity, as well as provide water.”
He added that once completed, it would create jobs for the teen population while also increasing food output.
Utsev stated, “We have successfully commissioned approximately three dams: one in Kogi State, one in Benue State, and one in Jigawa State. We have also commissioned many water delivery schemes throughout the country. We are also working on some irrigation projects across the country.
The ministry’s Director of Dams, Ali Dallah, stated, “We were able to employ the available finances to get at the current progress.
“We achieved 70% of what was promised to us. This dam, when built, will generate 4 megawatts of power. It will supply water to 450,000 people in the Ise Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti Local Government Areas.
Mr Fahd Jammal, the Project Contractor, stated that he was ready to return to the site to finish the job as funds were available.
The Federal Government awarded the contract for the construction of the Ogbese Multi-purpose Dam in 2009 via the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (now the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation) with the goal of alleviating poverty and improving the lives of citizens in rural and urban areas.
