Public Raises over Half Billion Birr for Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

Addis ababa, April 25/2020(ENA) Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation to the Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) disclosed that over 530 million Birr has been collected from the public during the past nine months.

Office Director-General Roman Gebreselassie told ENA that the public, besides battling with Coronavirus (COVID-19), has continued supporting GERD.

Ethiopians have contributed millions of Birr for the construction of the dam even after the breakout of the pandemic, she noted.

Excluding the support extended through the SMS fundraising initiative, bonds bought and contributions made through banks and privately,  dam, over 14 million Birr was donated to the Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation to the Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam directly, the director-general said.

According to Roman, the office has collected 13.4 billion Birr from the public since the beginning of the construction of the dam.

The support has been all the more re-invigorated following the mistaken stance of certain countries, including the United States, to disregard the sovereignty of Ethiopia, she elaborated.

The director-general pointed out that “what Ethiopians want is to ensure their future development and overcome poverty. The unfair approach of some quarters has therefore triggered anger and reinforced the support of the public to the construction of the dam.”

Roman finally urged the public to sustain their contributions and fight the pandemic at the same time.