Four World Bank officials drown in Egbe Dam

Four World Bank officials have drowned at Egbe Dam in Egbe Ekiti, Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Wednesday.

Vanguard reports that the victims were part of a team of contractors employed by the World Bank on an assessment mission to Egbe dam, which happens to be the biggest of six dams situated there, according to.

Mrs Folasade Akinrinmola, the chairman of the council confirmed this development to newsmen today, saying that the team had commenced work on Tuesday night from a section of the dam and were moving to the other section when the incident happened late Wednesday.

Mrs. Akinrinmola further stated that the traditional ruler of Egbe notified her of the incident, although she didn’t say whether the contractors appeased the gods before embarking on the project.

“We immediately mobilised a rescue team and an ambulance, and in the process, those wearing life jackets were rescued.

“The rescued people were the ones who told us that others were in the water. The bodies of those that had drowned were later retrieved by the local fishermen. One of the dead victims was said to be the son of the leader of the team who providentially escaped unhurt.

“We believe that they came to Ekiti based on some of the proposals we had written on the dam on how it can be put to use. We believe that the World Bank has started work on the dam based on their findings” she said, before adding that their bodies had been deposited at the mortuary in Ode-Ekiti, the headquarters of the council area.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Ekiti State Police Command, DSP Alberto Adeyemi, also confirmed the incident.

“It is true that the boat transporting the team capsized, four of them died while three survived,” he said.