In the country where over 110 million and 80 plus nations and nationalities live, devising feasible mechanisms that help the nation bring about development and change via successfully deafening poverty and backwardness is quite incomparable. Recognizing this fact, the Ethiopian government planned to construct a huge dam targeting at quenching national thirst, and succinctly studied where and how this mission can be made real. At the end of the day, the scrupulous study conducted earlier led the government to seriously eye towards the north where a great river is situated.
Nine years back, all Ethiopians from corner to corner celebrated the date when the river Abay commenced to practically serve its fellow compatriots and made an oath at Juba to wholeheartedly help Ethiopia come out of the grip of poverty it finds itself in. As of that time onwards, the general public has contributed a lot to the realization of the Dam and they made everything they can as per their respective income and capacity for the successful accomplishment of this real change engine—the Grand Renaissance Dam (GRD). This is, indeed, the project that has increasingly grabbed the attention of the world. All have still made a colossal financial, labour and moral contribution towards making the Dam a real being.
As the public contribution is of paramount importance in effectively completing the project, the campaign and public contribution tempo has to be at the larger scale. Making history is not difficult for Ethiopians. No history is made more impressing than this one, in fact. Hence, these days all citizenry are supposed to be committed more than ever to help the nation and its fellow citizens reap the fruit of their effort upon their pride, the invaluable resource.
Scholars, experts and academicians, in simple and precise terms all walks of life, have sensed and done their level best to make the country’s vision—meaningfully tapped this golden resource—true. Unfortunately, a wrong deed was carried out upon it that has seriously retarded the project and pulls the nation steps back. Though the journey of the river towards its big task was obscured at some point following the ill-equipped mission of some irresponsible individuals who were running to amass undeserved profit at the expense of beloved citizens and the country at large, these days the ray of hope has been witnessed to revitalize the idea of the government and push the river towards its target set—serving all Ethiopians in full swing.
Not only will Abay serve the dedicated and diligent domicile citizenry that have wished to take off the shackles of poverty utilizing the priceless resource at hand but it will also provide neighboring countries especially the Sudan and Egypt with invaluable benefits and enables these and other nations emancipate from electrification grudge in particular and enjoy the overwhelming development activities in general.
That is why the three countries have been discussing a range of issues revolving around the overall conditions of the river. The contribution of the Dam is numerous indeed. To mention but a few, it is going to use people especially those living at the vicinity of the project area as a source of income such as fishery, tourism activities can also be run and the country will generate a great deal of foreign currency from it, neighboring states will also have ample opportunity to garner advantage from the transmission of electric grid.
What matters here is the tempo that was highly intensified to contribute to the successful accomplishment of the project at the beginning calls for an augmented effort than ever. Every Ethiopian has been heard of saying “We’ll complete as we commenced.” Frankly speaking, it is at the verge of being completed right now. That is why, citizens, as their hope rises to fully complete the grand project, have altered the day-to-day slogan to “We’ll fully hit the target as we come to the fringe.”
Of course, Ethiopians are people of their words. Thus, the public support cadence needs to be well consolidated and every one of us has to come to the forefront to be triumphant over the already started impressive venture. Regretting about what we lost is valueless and contributes nothing to the lives of nations and nationalities in particular and the overall progress of the nation. Bygone is bygone; let’s unite for the rejuvenation of our change engine—the GRD.
In simple terms, all citizens of this beloved nation are expected to be well determined and march for the rejuvenation of the dexterous change engine—the Grand Renaissance Dam. Yes, it is going to be a prime weapon to successfully defeat poverty and backwardness and help the country seize the ladder of achievement in all aspects. Extraordinarily, those who have been spending years constructing the dam have to receive an unreserved gratitude from all walks of life. Hadn’t it been the diligence, commitment and well developed sense of belongingness of these segments of the society, construction of the Dam wouldn’t have reached at this level and accomplished in full swing.
The Ethiopian Herald May 12/2020
BY MENGESHA AMARE
