Eight years into the launching of the construction of the flagship hydroelectric dam, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Ethiopia is renewing its commitment to speed up the construction of the Dam and complete it within the rescheduled time plan.
Situated at the Guba Woreda of Benshangul Gumez State, Western Ethiopia, GERD is considered to be one of the biggest projects in the Africa Continent with so much expectation to be a gear changer in connecting off the grid communities not only in Ethiopia but also the surrounding regions and even beyond. The hallmark project when first launched, it has created ambivalence feeling among many people.
When it is receiving all round support from Ethiopians all over the world, others were suspicious of its practicality. In fact, for a country like Ethiopia with financial and technical constraints and limitation in local expertise, constructing such big project was unrealistic though the reverse has happened. It is known that Ethiopia has built a number of dams along its rivers.
For instance, the Gilgel Gibe I, II and III Hydroelectric Dams constructed over the Omo River are some of its success stories in terms of upgrading its power generation output significantly. However, the issue of the GERD is exceptional and unique to Ethiopians in various ways. The Dam is not simply a project in which the country plans to generate power; but it is also a source of national pride, unity, cooperation and hope for its people at the same time a showcase of cooperation and mutual benefit with fellow African brothers and sisters.
Not only that, it is a showcase Ethiopians’ commitment and dedication to the world as ‘the country has conceived the inconceivable and plans to implement a project which is impracticable by its capacity. On the contrary, we have enabled to manage it and finalize most of the challenging activities. Currently, the Project has reached 66 percent completion and it is expected to be fully finalized within the coming three years.
Thus, we, Ethiopians, though discontented with the delay of the completion and have a reason to; we never lose hope in it even for a fraction of seconds. Rather, combining efforts, we will stand as one to get the project back on track and speed up its completion as it is a path that leads us to our development vision- becoming Africa’s number one energy power house.
The eighth anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which was marked yesterday, therefore, will be a time in which we, regardless of any differences, renew our promise and commitment to realize the successful completion of the Dam in every possible way. As we always say, as we have started it, we will finish it with our own capabilities. ‘We never flap rather, soar like an eagle.’
The Ethiopian Herald, April 3/2019
