Jattu Dam in Edo, which will cost N8 billion to build, will be finished in 2028, according to Mr. Saliu Ahmed, managing director of the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority.
During a site tour and initial stakeholder meeting report on Saturday, Ahmed made the statement at the dam site in Ayoghena, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo.
Federal, Edo State, and the contracting company, Prospective Multilink Ltd. and Havage Engineering Services Ltd. Joint Venture, had representatives at the visitation.
According to him, the Federal Government granted the project’s contract in April, and Edo State has provided 25% of the project’s counterpart money.
“This is a special project of the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Water Resource and co-financed by Edo State government.
“Edo State has committed 25 per cent counterpart funding for the project,’’ Ahmed said.
He expressed his gratitude to Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo for his dedication to making the region’s water shortage a thing of the past.
“Public water supply has become cumbersome, so the dam will address the challenge in the area,’’ he said.
Mr. Nyamali Joseph, Permanent Secretary, Edo Ministry of Water Resources, stated in his remarks that the project would assist in addressing the region’s water supply challenges.
He said that in order to guarantee that the project is completed on schedule, the state administration was committed to cooperating with the federal government.
“We are looking forward to ensure that the project comes to logical conclusion,’’ he stressed.
Earlier, the project’s manager, Eng. Oni Stephen, stated that a joint venture between Prospective Muiltlink Limited and Havage Engineering Services Ltd. was in charge of it.
According to him, the project encompasses an area of around 19,600 square kilometers and includes a pedestrian bridge, access road, storage reservoir, and more than 5,000 hectares of irrigated land that can be seen downriver from the dam embankment.
“Jattu Dam is located across Ogio River just before the Auchi-Apana Bridge in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo,’’ he said.
According to Stephen, the dam would facilitate fishing and other aquacultural pursuits while supplying Jattu, Auchi, and their surrounding populations with potable water.
Through year-round crop cultivation and animal husbandry, it would also improve food production, he continued.
He emphasized that the dam will assist cottage industries in storage, processing, and marketing, as well as give many rural people economic jobs.
Stephen, however, claimed that the construction company had not received any cash.
“No advance payment has been made on the project. The work programme for site camp erection and construction work programme has already been submitted to the river basin authority.
“The revision of the work programme may be required depending on the time that mobilisation fees are paid,’’ Stephen noted.