Environmental and Social Impact Assessment - Gibe III

Gibe III – Environmental and Social Impact Assessment 300 ENV R CS 002 C - A9003099
The project includes also the relocation of part of the Chida-Sodo road from Bele town to Lala area because
both the existing bridge on the Chida Sodo road, crossing the river Omo at a low level, and the L1 road will
be submerged by the reservoir. The foreseen “relocation road” will be opened for construction purposes and
will therefore become available for public use while completing the impounding of the reservoir. This
permanent link will have a total length of about 80 km, starting at a small village called Yalo nearby Lala on
the right bank, passing through the foreseen Omo bridge which crosses the river slightly d/s of the dam and
ending about 4 km west of Bele on the left bank.
6.6 Job Opportunity
In the area, the main economic benefit will be the temporary, but considerable, labour opportunities for the
local population during construction phase.
Comparison with other projects of broadly similar type and magnitude, suggests that the total workforce on
construction contract comprising the overall project is likely to be more than 3,000 persons at peak time. In
view of the nature of the works, much of which will be plant-intensive rather than labour-intensive, the
contractors' requirements are likely to be mainly for skilled and semi-skilled workers, with around 20-30% of
the total manpower requirement being for unskilled workers. Unskilled workers will be recruited locally,
which will result in the creation of the equivalent of 600-900 full-time jobs on contract for around 4 years.
The creation of regular wage employment in the rural parts of project area is important, even though it will
be on a relatively small scale, at relatively good rates of pay and for a limited period, since there are
currently few other opportunities available.
The presence of the workforce, who is likely to be relatively cash-rich compared with the majority of the
rural population, will undoubtedly encourage individuals to set up stalls to supply food and other
consumables at worksites. Businesses in the local towns will also benefit financially through supplying
goods and services to the workforce when they are on leave, as well as through the contractors purchasing
some of the food requirements of the base camps.
Although labour recruitment is a matter for the contractor, who has the right to determine whom they shall
and shall not employ, he should be formally encouraged to hire locally wherever possible, in order to
maximize the benefit distribution and social acceptability of the project. Therefore, the contractor will use his
best endeavour to maximize local hire of labour, in so far as this is compatible with his skill requirements,
and to maximize local procurement of supplies.
Therefore, the production of more hydropower would allow the expansion of power-requiring industries and
factories in the surrounding urban areas creating more permanent job opportunities for the displaced and
other people in the area.
6.7 Gender Issues
Women as well as men will benefit from the employment opportunities and from the access road related
facilities. Women often run shops and bars in the area and obviously they will benefit from the increased
business opportunities that will be derived from the project.
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