TONY EDIKE
ENUGU—THE Federal Government has commenced work on N2.57 billion Adada River Dam project in Igbo-Etiti and Uzo-Uwani Local Government Areas of Enugu North senatorial district.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Ambassador Godknows Igali, who represented the Federal government during the flag off of the project, said the dam project is the biggest federal government project in the area since the establishment of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka over 40 years ago.
He warned the three host communities not to do anything that would hamper the expected hitch-free execution of the project billed to be delivered within 24 months, explaining that the dam is expected to provide portable water, electricity and irrigation for agricultural activities.
Igali described the project as a one of the several milestones of the federal government’s efforts in the sustainable development and economic empowerment of the people, adding that the effective utilization and management of the nation’s abundant water resources especially in construction and maintenance of dams, irrigation, water supply and sanitation have strong linkages to a cluster of sectors that are central to the achievement of national development especially the attainment of food security, improved health and income generation.
In his speech, the initiator of the constituency project, Senator Ayogu Eze representing Enugu North Senatorial zone assured that the people will do all it can as a community, as a people to ensure the project endures to the benefit of our people.
He described the Dam as one of the highest projects being initiated by the federal government; “we have a University quite alright, but the university was built and handed over to the government this is the first one of its capacity that the federal government is initiating on its own and it’s a very landmark development.
The senator who noted that the project has gone through reviews promised to ensure that there is budgetary provisions until the project is completed; “I am also going to work with my colleagues to bring a second Dam to the zone.”
“I want to assure you that this Dam will change the lives of our people; it will change the lives of the people of our senatorial district and above all it will provide one resource that our people have been crying for; it will provide water to Nsukka, because Nsukka is going to be the capital of the new Adada State,” the Senator said.
Eze assured his people that if there is any state that will be created, it will be Adada State; “we have made a resolution that we have proved that Democracy can work, that through consensus, discussion and through dialogue that we can amend the constitution, that we can do other things.
“We now want to prove that it is not only the military that can create state, that in a democracy, we can discuss amongst ourselves, through consultation, dialogue and reaching out to one another to create states and I assure you that Adada State would soon become a reality.”
Earlier the Deputy Governor Sunday Onyebuchi who represented Governor Sullivan Chime assured that the state government will provide all necessary logistics and support to ensure the successful execution of the project.
