Ogbese dam to enhance food production and creat jobs – Minister

The Nigerian government says it will continue to take steps that would help in boosting food production as well as creating jobs for the masses.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Terlumun Utsev, said this during the inspection of work progress at the Ogbese multi-purpose dam in Ekiti State, south westNigeria.

Prof. Utsev said Ogbese dam when completed would not only boost food production but create jobs, and drive economic growth, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Utsev said that the project, considered a top priority by President Tinubu, will provide four megawatts of electricity, support irrigation, enhance water supply, aid farmers, and foster fishery development for Ogbese, Ise, Orun, and surrounding communities.

He noted that the project is seventy percentage completed and assured that the hydropower components will be swiftly installed as the equipment is already on site. He announced that the Federal Government has approved funds for the components while the all turbines were in place and ready for installation.

According to the Minister, the irrigation and water supply aspects will be addressed in the project’s second phase.

Prof. Utsev said that he was on a three-day fact-finding tour of the Ministry’s projects in the South West, following President Tinubu’s directive to identify and complete all outstanding projects to combat poverty, create jobs, and ensure food security.

He applauded the people of Ogbese and surrounding areas for their support to the project and encouraged them to engage in the partial commercialization of the River Basin Development Authority to maximize its benefits.

Earlier, Director of Dams and Reservoirs at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engineer Alli Dallah, briefed the Minister on the project’s progress, noting that the turbines, cooling systems, generators, and other hydropower components are ready for installation.

He further disclosed that the water supply component is intended to provide water for over four hundred residents of Ikere and Ise Local government council of Ekiti State, while the 4-megawatt hydropower generation will cover the entire state.

Engr. Dallah and his team subsequently conducted the Minister around the project site for an equipment inspection.

The project contractor, Engineer Fahd Jamal, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for prioritizing the project’s completion and assured that the job would be completed within the approved timeframe.

The Minister’s entourage included Directors from the Ministry, the Managing Director of Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Ahmed Saliu, and his management team, along with engineers and other key stakeholders.