Cahama - The Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges, announced on Wednesday the objective of transforming the municipality of Cahama, Cunene province, into a more prosperous area in agriculture and livestock, after completing the works of the Cova do Leão dam, in this locality.
Underway since 2022, the dam works have a level of physical and financial execution of 25 percent, at a time when work is being done around the secadeiras. This phase also ends in 2024.
According to the governor, who was speaking to the press during a visit to evaluate the works, the intention is to take advantage of the potential of the municipality, aiming at the economic growth of the region.
'We will have the availability to store a lot of water in this region, considered dry, to supply the populations of the headquarters of Cahama, Otchinjau and Oncócua, as well as the promotion of agricultural activity on the banks of the reservoir, of 14 square kilometers,' he said.
João Baptista Borges considered the progress of the work satisfactory, 'despite having registered a slight delay in the schedule, due to the change in the initial location of the dam'.
Work has already been carried out around the reservoir, diversion of the channel and launch of the main pipeline, of 98 kilometers, which will supply water to the populations of the municipalities of Cahama and Curoca.
According to the minister, the dam will allow the accumulation of 60 million cubic meters of water, enough to serve the communities in a period of three to four years, in a prolonged drought cycle.
The director of the construction company in charge of the 'Engevia' work, Paulo Matos, said that he is waiting for the arrival of new equipment to give greater dynamics to the work on the dam, which is expected to be completed in November 2026.
The dam will be 17 meters high, four meters wide, 700 meters long and have an estimated useful volume of 60 million cubic meters. PEM/LHE/VC/DOJ
