Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sweilam met on Tuesday Ibrahim Abu Lamon, the Governor of Menoufeya, to review water projects in the governorate, and remove encroachments on waterways within the governorate.
After the meeting, the two officials witnessed the signing of a joint cooperation protocol between the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and the Menoufeya to maximize the irrigation assets in the governorate.
Sweilam stated that the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is making great efforts in inventorying the properties, assets, and lands owned by them and removing encroachments while working to choose the best ways to invest these properties and to optimally invest the lands owned by the ministry in development projects that are consistent with the state’s plan for sustainable development and in accordance with the laws regulating that.
The minister explained that the terms of the protocol include an emphasis on not allowing any works that would affect the coverage or periodic or emergency maintenance carried out by the Ministry of Irrigation for sewers and water installations, or any works that affect the safety of bridges or affect the water canals, threaten lands and facilities, or harm the environment.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is the authority that has jurisdiction over the public properties of the state related to water resources and irrigation, within the framework of the laws regulating this.
According to the terms of the protocol, the Ministry of Irrigation will review and approve the general plan of the invested areas, and review and approve the designs, engineering drawings and technical measurements of the construction works of the projects that will be put forward to confirm the validity of those constructions due to the nature of the land on which these projects are built and not affecting all irrigation and drainage activities in the region.
The ministry will also supervise the implementation of the works to ensure that the contractor does not violate any requirements that may affect the irrigation and drainage activities in the project.
However, Menoufeya is concerned with managing all tender and bidding procedures, offering the general plan for the regions, preparing contracts, concluding contracts and issuing licenses to practice licensed activities for investors.
