For long, Ethiopia was remiss in utilizing its God’s-lavishly-bestowed natural resources. Owing to this sad episode, its rivers, like the river Abay, were laying waste.When it gets out of Ethiopia’s perimeter Abay is referred to Blue Nile. A prodigal Son, divorced from a win-win approach, Abay was roaring past Ethiopia’s boundary to unload its wealth—alluvial soil and water — elsewhere as well as to deny its motherland power-generating potential for own sluggishness and conspiracies by external powers.
The smoking waterfall that it makes was the only allurement Abay left for Ethiopia to attract tourists to win a hard currency from the smokeless industry.
Because of the aforementioned tragic scenario, citizens especially artists were lamenting the deplorable situation the country was in.
As there is time for everything, when the ripe moment presented itself 13 years back the late PM Meles Zenawi laid the cornerstone of the GERD for the ecstasy of its people, for untrammelled Abay was destined to be tamed. Besides the hydropower dam GERD served a path breaker for the multifaceted development of the country.
Aside from generating electricity, the attendant perks that accrue from dam went without saying. The artificial lake formed behind the dam was sure to restore the fecundity of the environ and to attract tourists. Following the formation of the artificial dam, maintaining ecological system and conserving the biodiversity of the vicinity of the dam fell in the domain of possibility. Bringing into play artificial hubs was to come in tandem.
The lake serves for angling and boat riding. A variety of fish in abundance will be available. Tourists will prolong their stay there. Tourism service givers slowly but surely would populate the area following the influx of tourists. All these add up to make the place a tourist magnet and more currency generator.
Along with the birth of GERD towns like Guba are sure to emerge. This becomes reason enough for investors on tourism sector, residents of the locality as well as for the basis of the country’s economic development.
Here it is important to note the unfolding after Gilgel Gibe III saw the light of day could corroborate the case in point. During the inception of the dam there were full throated oppositions. Many were vocal about it. Now apart from becoming eye-catching, soul-refreshing and mood-uplifting the dam site it has become source of fish food.
Tourists are heading there in droves. The salient reason attributable for this turn out of events is the artificial lake created. A similar result of magnified scope is expected to take place when the artificial lake of Abay materializes.
In general the tourism bonanza that accompanies the realization of Abay dam is many. Apart from winning much-needed hard currency for the country it creates ample job opportunities.
GERD-the gargantuan dam in Africa by itself attracts tourists and researchers augmenting manifold the the dam’s benefits and that of the lake that emerges in tandem with it. With all such magnetic pulls of it the dam and its attraction proves an ideal place for conference tourism.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 5 APRIL 2024
