Addis Ababa, January 4, 2016 (WIC) – Public universities bear the notable task of feeding their communities with adequate information about Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam Project (GERD)
Being sources of knowledge, universities are encouraged to initiate platforms that help create lucid understanding about the grand project, announced the Ministry of Education.
The ministry expects universities to bring diverse groups into consensus about the national project through setting up platforms for discussions.
Dessalegn Samuel, Higher Education Division Director at the ministry said universities should extensively engage in disseminating adequate information about the dam.
According to the director, the dam project which lays the groundwork for the socio-economic advancement of the nation should be widely promoted at the universities.
The awareness creation platforms in universities should also cover agendas on the overall development activities in the country, he indicated, adding such forums help in fully engaging the public in development activities at national level.
The dam project is already serving as a valuable practice site for students from engineering related fields to gain practical lessons, benefit from transfer of technologies and get new jobs, Dessalegn said.
Advisor to the Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity Tefera Beyene for his part said riparian countries of the Nile River are working on various cooperation agreements.
Tefera said the construction of the dam fully abides by internationally set standards, further mentioning the latest technology employed in the study, designing and construction of the dam.
Nigussie Desta, Public and International Relations Director of Gondar University also said such awareness creation trainings serve as inputs in intensifying ongoing collective efforts and commitments to build the dam.
The university is undertaking various studies on the dam project with the findings being presented during annual research conferences, Nigussie added.
Asemahegn Asres, Public Relations Director at the Addis Ababa University for his part said scholars of the university are actively engaging in the negotiations and research works on the dam providing adequate facts during educational forums on the project.
Office of the National Council for Public Participation and Coordination for the Construction of GERD jointly with the Ministry of Education are organizing awareness raising discussion forums on the dam project in universities all over the country (ENA).