The government has decided to rehabilitate the Alwero Dam, one of the most significant mega dams, which has been abandoned for over thirty years. This initiative aims to enable both investors and smallholder farmers to utilize this vital resource.

The decision to revitalize the Alwero Dam, a popular project in the 1980s and early 1990s, has largely been sidelined since the government change in

May 1991. While the dam and some essential facilities were completed at that time, the large-scale irrigation project, a joint venture between the Ethiopian government and the USSR, has essentially been neglected for over 33 years.

The Ministry of Irrigation and Lowland (MILLs) has now committed to reviving the dam to ensure its benefits for the Baro Akobo River Basin, specifically the Alwero River, located approximately 49 kilometers south of Gambella city, the capital of the Gambella region, and 777 kilometers west of Addis Ababa.

In a recently released Amharic book titled ‘Yesidetegnaw Meri Tirekawoch’ by Yitagesu Getinet, former President Mengistu Hailemariam (Col) noted that after USSR experts assessed the area’s water catchment, his administration’s powerful allies decided to invest in the project. “The catchment has the capacity to irrigate approximately one million hectares of land, according to the USSR study,” stated the former head of state, who currently resides in Zimbabwe.

Mengistu also claimed that the group that overthrew his government had relocated some of the facility’s equipment to

Eritrea, suggesting that the project was nearly operational. Initially, the initiative aimed to cultivate 60,000 hectares of land, starting with the irrigation of 10,000 hectares, as noted by Fasika Sidelil, a senior leader and chief of economic and social affairs of the socialist governing Workers’ Party of Ethiopia (Derg).

“The drive to initiate the Alwero Dam and similar projects, including Omo Ratti in Lower Omo, stemmed from the drought and hunger experienced in the mid-1980s,” he told Capital, despite numerous studies advocating for irrigation agricultural practices.

According to Fasika, a corporation was intended to be established to manage the facility and support outgrower farmers, with plans to develop 10,000 hectares in the first phase.

Local farmers and resettled individuals were to serve as outgrowers and workers for the new joint corporation, as indicated by the chief economic official at the time.

 “The plan was to employ local and resettled laborers to cultivate crops using the irrigation system for the industry that would be established in the area,” he explained.

He further stated that the USSR and Ethiopian governments collaborated to finance the dam’s construction, primarily for cotton cultivation.

“The Agriculture Corporation was responsible for its administration,” Fasika recounted.

According to Abraham Belay, Minister of MILLs, the ministry is working to maximize the use of the facility, which is currently managed by the central government. A year and a half ago, the Office of the Federal Auditor General reported that the Alwero Dam, which cost 648 million birr to construct, was idle.

During a parliamentary session a week ago, Abraham addressed questions from members of parliament, stating that his ministry is implementing significant changes to rectify numerous ongoing disinfection projects, some of which have been in progress for over a decade.

“We are also conducting a study to revive some abandoned projects, such as Alwero, which have remained incomplete for decades,” he continued.

Abraham informed Capital that the country stands to fully benefit from the facility that could expand to over 10,000 hectares and is currently assisting the local population in developing more than 3,000 hectares of land.

He stated, “We have completed the assessment needed for maintenance.”

He explained to Capital that the ministry, responsible for overseeing the facility, is transforming it into a project to initiate the rehabilitation process and unlock its intended potential.

Abraham added that the facility will benefit not only the local population but also investors interested in agricultural ventures.

According to observers like journalist Wudineh Zenebe, who has closely monitored the dam’s development for years, there are several private sector interests looking to utilize the dam for agricultural purposes, most of which have not been successful.

“Even though the government has granted them permission to use the public facility, I have noticed that investors are primarily focused on rain-fed agriculture,” Wudineh told Capital.

Abraham noted that Alwero will soon undergo development.

MILLs Effort

The current administration has placed greater emphasis on expanding irrigation-based agricultural methods compared to previous administrations.

When the former MILLs minister addressed the house in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year, lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction with the ministry’s handling of projects. They urged the government to take swift action to address the unfinished projects initiated by the previous administration.

During last week’s meeting, lawmakers reiterated their concerns, raising several issues related to existing projects and MILLs activities.

Abraham, who took on the role months ago, stated that significant changes are being implemented to redirect the previous course.

With assistance from the FAO, around 30 standards for design, construction, and procurement have been established to ensure project consistency. Prominent universities and the Ethiopian Standard Institute have also contributed to the development of these standards, which “will be fully implemented in the coming budget year.”

He pointed out that construction projects had been initiated without completing essential paperwork, such as pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, resulting in scope changes, delays, and increased project costs within the industry.

“We are quickly updating the designs of 21 active construction projects that cannot be halted or returned, but starting next year, we will initiate new projects in accordance with the new standards,” the Minister stated.

The ministry is currently working on projects valued at 120 billion birr. While the actual budget allocation is eight billion birr, an estimated 40 billion birr is required to operate the projects for the current budget year alone.

Abraham, who appreciated the Ministry of Finance’s efforts to maintain a strong cash flow through regular allocations, stated, “We prioritize completing projects that have faced delays for years over starting new projects, given our available resources.”

He stated that, in addition to several instances of improper management, one of the main causes of the delays is the contractors’ inability to effectively manage projects and contracts.

“We have evaluated the situation and made bold decisions regarding the termination of contracts on some major projects,” he said.

“There are two key issues at the ministry: one is the lack of capacity to oversee projects, and the other is the absence of an administrative structure to regulate such large ongoing projects,” he explained when discussing the gaps in his office.

With approval from the Federal Civil Service Commission, a new and unconventional structure for public institutions has been established to address some of the delayed projects.

According to Abraham, “a project management office has been created to closely monitor projects on-site, equipped with the necessary manpower and work practices, and it reports directly to the minister.”