Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), together with Chief Administrators of SNNP and Oromia regional states, Million Mathios and Lemma Megersa, respectively, inaugurated the Gidabo Irrigation Dam Project today.
The dam is built at a cost of more than 1.1 billion birr.
The dam, with a reservoir capacity of 62.5 million metric cubic, is located between the Oromia and SNNP regional state and will adequately irrigate 13, 425 hectares of land.
More than 10,000 farmers and over 192,000 unemployed youth would benefit from the irrigation scheme. It is also expected to attract agricultural investment to the area.
According to the Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and Electricity, the completion date of the project was extended due to design changes.
The dam, which has a height of 25.8 metres and a length of 335 metres, was built by Construction Works Corporation and Construction Works Design and Supervision Corporation participated in consulting.
The construction of the project had created 1, 072 permanent and temporary jobs it was noted.