PM Says Water, Irrigation and Energy Sector Prioritizes on Attaining Basic Needs of Citizens

May 24/2021 ( ENA) Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that Ethiopia’s water, irrigation and energy sector has prioritized to meet the basic needs of its citizens during the past three years.

“Our Vision For Prosperity milestones of the past three years in the water, irrigation and energy sector is aimed at enabling a dignified life to our citizens by meeting basic needs,” the prime minister wrote on his Face-Book.

According to information obtained from the Office of the Prime Minister, a total of 56,790 urban and rural drinking water supply facilities have been completed to enable access to more than 15 million residents.

Over the past three years, 16 billion Birr loan has been collected from various lending institutions to avail finance for water supply and sanitation infrastructure development in 72 towns, the Office added.

It further stated that Gibe 3 hydropower plant (1,870 MW), the Genale Dawa 3 hydroelectric power plant (254 MW) and the Repi Waste to Energy plant (25 MW) have been completed and fully operational.

Currently, 4,466 MW electric powers and a total of 19,746 km transmission lines are in operation, it said adding that more than 875, 000 citizens have access to on-grid electric services and more than 1,100 rural towns are enabled to access to electricity.

By solving the problem associated with the reduction of government expenditure, four irrigation dams and irrigation systems namely, Ribb, Gidabo, Meki Ziway and Megech-Serba have been completed to develop 4,044 hectares of land, benefiting 56, 946 farmers, the Office stated.