The Federal government on Friday said that the completed Galma multipurpose dam would provide over 1.1 million opportunities for people living around it.

Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu said this during an inspection tour of the dam in Kaduna state.Adamu stated that the dam could also generate 2.2 megawatt of electricity and supply water to 2.2 million people in the surrounding communities and Zaria.

A statement issued by the ministry in Abuja on Thursday said the building of the dam, which has reached 100 per cent completion, started in 2006.

The minister explained that apart from the irrigation component of the project, the multipurpose dam has a reservoir capacity of about 186 million m3.

He commended the level of job done on the project and charged the company to facilitate the construction of the roads for easy access.

The statement said the minister earlier commissioned the National Secretariat of the National Water Resources Capacity Building in Kaduna.

The centre was built in collaboration with the World Bank to address some specific needs of the sector.

He noted that the institute has played a significant role, especially in the collaborative research and capacity building in the sector.

"I am aware of the great achievements of the institute since its establishment, I therefore want to challenge the Executive Director and students of the institution to redouble their efforts in achieving its set goals in line with the agenda of the present administration," the statement quoted him as saying.

The Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Emmanuel Adanu, said that the institute has the mandate, to among others, promote and develop training courses, perform applied research, promote necessary codes of practice and cooperation with similar bodies within and outside the country as well as international bodies.

Continuing, Adamu said that the institute has enjoyed a tremendous support of the Minister of Water Resources since his assumption of duty.

He added that in the current financial year, the budgetary allocation to the institute has tremendously increased, while patronage of its tailor-made short courses by the ministry and its departments has taken positive turn.

He appealed to the minister to encourage the ministry, departments, river basin development authorities (RBDAs) as well as its agency to participate on the short and long term training programme of the institute and to expand and regularize the youth empowerment programmes.

Source: http://nignews.com.ng/galma-multipurpose-dam-to-provide-1-1m-jobs-says-fg/