Ethiopia sets 2022 for Nile dam's completion amid delays

An Ethiopian official says the country's controversial Nile River dam will not be completed until 2022, more than four years behind schedule, because of possible defects with the hydro-electrical plant's equipment.

The dam's construction manager, Kifle Hora, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the construction team has concerns about the quality of the electro-mechanical works that were handled by the country's military-run Metal and Engineering Corporation.

The assessment came after the installation of the electro-mechanical works, described by officials as one of the most sophisticated parts of the dam, were taken away from the military-run Metal and Engineering Corporation and given to other contractors. The company's former head, Maj. Gen. Kinfe Dagnew, and other senior officials were jailed recently on charges of corruption and embezzlement.