Few days back, there was a seminar regarding the overall situation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). The seminar was organized by the Ministry of Water and Energy in collaboration with the Office of the GERD and the Ethiopian Electric and Power Authority.
The main focus of the seminar was to help enhance awareness of the public at large on the current and future realities and the progress undertaken thus far on this grand Ethiopian project. The importance of GERD simply goes without saying, however the dayto-day activities and the objective and subjective realities vis-à-vis this important national project has for a while been obscure and as a result many people have been confused and misunderstood due to the gap in and lack of clear and up-to-date flow of information.
The purpose of the seminar was therefore to clarify the state, condition and performance of the activities regarding the GERD and to discuss issues relating the GERD and enhance the participation and collaboration of Ethiopians within the nation and the Diasporas to this important national project.
The Minister of Water and Energy along with the Director of the Office of the GERD and Director of the Ethiopian Electric and Power Authority clearly and with no ambiguity attached, explained the actual engineering and management conditions as well as the gaps involved and the measurements undertaken to resolve unforeseen problems with solutions. With new management and with new internationally recognized and commended French and Italian consultants and with strict evaluation and follow ups all challenges and drawbacks have been identified, analyzed and synthesized and solutions have been put in place.
The measures are believed to solve problems, minimize the time and speed up the work for timely completion of the GERD. Many blistering questions were asked from the audiences and from those who have been directly involved with the project and clear answers were delivered to the satisfaction of the audiences. As a result, ambiguities and confusions were cleared out and the audiences promised that their support to such important national project will continue with the highest tenacity and vigor. The GERD: the biggest in Africa and the eighth biggest dam in the world that will produce over six-thousand mega watt power energy is now seven years old and growing stronger and stronger.
Over sixty percent of the physical dam construction completed and the main work has already been done. The work of this unique project is going on with more tenacity and vigor, twenty four hours non-stop work every day with no interruption what so ever.
The people who are engaged with this project are doing their job day in and day out with more persistence and dynamism enjoying their job every day and taking their job very seriously. Likewise, Ethiopians from coast to coast including Ethiopians and by birth Ethiopians in the Diaspora have continued and intensified their full fledged support morally, financially and technically to the construction of this Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
More importantly, GERD has become a symbol of unity and a sign of courage, pride, dignity and confidence amongst the Ethiopian people and among friends and allies of the Ethiopian people both at home and abroad. Further, the construction of GERD has created self-confidence and a strong tendency that “it can be done” and that everything is possible if people get their hands together for a good cause such as this and work together in order to advance the country forward for a better and in order to maintain the national pride and dignity as well as secure the national interest.
There are over ten thousand people working in three shifts day in and day out under a very hot temperature at times rising up to forty degrees. The Ethiopian Nations, Nationalities and Peoples were able to overcome all possible impediments imposed from outside and they were able to put their hands together and move forward with their agenda. As a result, they decided to use and put their knowhow, skill, energy and resource for the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
The contribution and collaboration of Ethiopians and Ethiopians in the Diaspora for the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam also continues to increase from time to time and the people who come from every corner to see for themselves the progress of the dam is simply unprecedented making the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam the most visited Dam in the world thus far.
As the Dam is now sixty seven percent completed, Ethiopians are currently not only seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but indeed getting closer and closer to touch the light at the end of the tunnel. Once completed, the Dam will make significant contribution towards the overall betterment of lives and livelihoods of the public at large here back home and will also assist neighboring countries by providing them low cost power energy much needed for their overall developmental endeavors.
The Ethiopian people are now living and breathing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has now become an expression of greatness, dignity, self confidence and pride of the Ethiopian people. In fact, it has a physiological bearings: a burning conviction and a unifying spirit amongst the people that it has now become a way of life to all Ethiopians from coast to coast.
The GERD demonstrates confidence, self respect and commitment. It is the way forward for greatness of our nation and our people. The public at large believes that the Dam is their future and the future of their children and grand children; therefore, they want to stand on guard for it and they are determined more than ever to continue supporting the construction of the dam in every way, shape or form until they see its completion.
Once completed, the dam will have a mesmerizing impact on the nation and abroad and Ethiopians will be proud of themselves and their accomplishment. Our ancestors made us proud among others by securing our sovereignty and by defeating and driving away foreign aggressors at the battle of Adwa.
By doing so, they made history for themselves. Now, this generation has the opportunity to make history. Here is the chance of a life time that must not be missed and that everyone must contribute supporting the construction of the dam in any way, shape or form. It is therefore time for this generation to make history for themselves, their children and their grand children. It is now history in the making for all Ethiopians and friends and allies of Ethiopia. What a chance! What an opportunity! No one should let it go; everyone must act and must act right now
Herald January 1/2019
BY YOHANNES GEBRESELLASIE (Ph.D)
