Public Raises over 600 Mn Birr for Renaissance Dam in Less than Year

June 1/2020 (ENA) The public has raised 605 million Birr for the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) during the ongoing Ethiopian fiscal year.

The Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation to the Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) disclosed that 79 million Birr of the total 605 million Birr was collected in the month of April alone.  

Office Head Hailu Abrham said the fund was collected from the public through SMS, sale of bonds,  and other initiatives.

He further pointed out that Ethiopians have been contributing millions of Birr for the construction of the dam even after the breakout of COVID-19.

The head, however, admitted that the fund raising scheme has faced problem due to the pandemic that restricted the holding of meetings to collect money.

The Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation to GERD plans to collect 1.2 billion Birr this Ethiopian budget year.

It has collected 13.54 billion Birr from the public since the start of the construction of the dam, according to Hailu.

The overall construction of the dam has reached 73.7 percent; and filling of the dam will begin in July, 2020.