Editor
By Fatima Saka
The Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation. Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, has said that Ogbese Multi-purpose Dam in Ekiti State is poised to significantly enhance food production, stimulate job creation, and drive economic growth across the country.
He added that the development is aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
During his inspection of the dam’s progress on Wednesday in Ogbese, Prof. Utsev underscored that the project, deemed a top priority by President Tinubu, will deliver 4 megawatts of electricity, facilitate irrigation, augment water supply, support farmers, and promote fishery development for Ogbese, Ise, Orun, and neighboring communities.
The Minister also made known that the project has reached 70% completion and assured that the hydropower components will be promptly installed, as the necessary equipment is already on site.
He further revealed that the Federal Government has allocated funds for these components, with all turbines ready for installation.
The Minister indicated that the irrigation and water supply aspects will be addressed in the project’s subsequent phase.
Prof. Utsev stated that he embarked on a three-day fact-finding tour of the Ministry’s projects in the South West, following President Tinubu’s directive to identify and conclude all pending projects to combat poverty, generate employment, and ensure food security.
He commended the residents of Ogbese and neighboring areas for their unwavering support towards the project and encouraged them to engage in the partial commercialization of the River Basin Development Authority to maximize its benefits.
Earlier, Engr. Alli Dallah, the Director of Dams and Reservoirs at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, briefed the Minister on the project’s progress, highlighting that the turbines, cooling systems, generators, and other hydropower components are poised for installation. He further disclosed that the water supply component aims to cater to 450,000 residents of Ikere and Ise LGAs of Ekiti State, while the 4-megawatt hydropower generation will serve the entire state.
Engr. Dallah and his team subsequently guided the Minister around the project site for an equipment inspection.
Engr. Fahd Jamal, the project contractor, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for prioritizing the project’s completion and assured that the job would be finalized within the approved timeframe.
The Honourable Minister’s entourage comprised Directors from the Ministry, the Managing Director of Benin Owena River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Ahmed Saliu, his management team, engineers, and other key stakeholders.
