Addis Ababa: The public has contributed over 1.7 billion Birr towards the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in the just concluded Ethiopian fiscal year. Office of National Coordination for the Construction of the Dam announced that the people have been participating well in backing the constriction. In his exclusive interview with ENA, Hailu Abraham, Public Relations Director of the Office, briefed the overwhelming public support and cooperation received for the dam's construction during the concluded 2023/24 Ethiopian budget year. According to Hailu, the office has employed various strategies to maintain and expand public support for the project, both domestically and internationally. 'A total of 1.712 billion birr has been collected through bond sales, 8100 short text messages, pin sales, and other initiatives,' he added. This represents a significant increase from the 1.4 billion Birr collected in the previous 2022/2023 Ethiopian Budget year. The director expressed gratitude for the public's continued support and urged citizens to remain committed to the project's successful completion. The GERD is a monumental undertaking designed to generate electricity and benefit the entire region in addition to Ethiopia. Source: Ethiopian News Agency