The Public Enterprises Holding Administration Agency (PEHAA) disclosed that 11 public enterprises will be tabled for privatization in the current budget year.
The agency that concluded the 2019/20 budget year without selling any public enterprise to the private sector has stated that in the 2020/21 budget year, 11 enterprises will be tabled for privatization.
Wondafrash Assefa, Public Relation Head at PEHAA, told Capital the companies that will be tabled for privatization are yet to be disclosed. However, he confirmed that the enterprises could be mega enterprises.
“The privatization process for mega enterprises is directed by the Ministry of Finance, which is the higher body of PEHAA,” he explained.
The agency has set11 enterprises up for privatization but the final decision comes from the Ministry.
In the past budget year, PEHAA had floated Abaya farms which is located in Omo Valley around Arba Minch of SNNP. However, the process did not yield positive result. The farm is well known for its banana plantation that covers an area of 1,195 hectares,
A few years back the farm had been managed by Amibara Agricultural Development PLC, which bought Middle Awash Agricultural Development Enterprise, on lease.
The farm has also been administered by Ethiopian Agriculture Works Corporation, which is a state owned enterprise.
The government has also targeted to partly privatize Ethio Telecom, of which 55 percent share will be held by the state, 40 percent by foreign investors and the remainder by Ethiopians.
The sugar sector is also the other mega enterprise that may be included on this years’ privatization process.
In the concluded budget year, 21 public enterprises have generated over 300 billion birr in revenue with gross profits of 55.5 billion birr before tax.
In the current budget year, the enterprises are expected to generate over 376 billion birr in revenue and close to 74 billion birr in profit before tax.
Ethiopian Airlines has led in the revenue generation front by generating 122 billion birr, followed by Ethio Telecom with 47.7 billion birr in total revenue.
Capital’s attempt to get further information about the enterprises that will be floated in the current budget year from Ministry of Finance was unfruitful.
Agency tables 11 public enterprises for privatization
Dashens’ successful dash amidst demonetization
Dashen Bank, one of the top profitable private financial firms, disclosed that it has mobilized over 700 million birr with an additional 25,000 new account holders over the past two week demonetization period.
The bank that decided to pump 30 million birr for the call of supporting three national tourist attraction projects under the scheme dubbed ‘Dine for Nation’ said that it is working aggressively on the currency change, which was introduced on the 14th of September.
Asfaw Alemu, President of Dashen, said that the bank has distributed five billion birr worth of the new notes across its 425 branches and all of its 325 ATMs.
The fund raised under ‘Dine for Nation’ will finance projects at Gorgora, Koysha and Wonci.
On Friday October 2nd, the bank has opened five interest free branches in Addis Ababa and regional towns that drives the number of special interest free branches to a total tally of 8.
Ethiopians abandoned and abused in Saudi prisons: Report
An investigation by Amnesty International has exposed horrifying new details about the treatment of Ethiopian migrants detained in Saudi Arabia. Since March, Huthi authorities in Yemen have expelled thousands of Ethiopian migrant workers and their families to Saudi Arabia, where they are now being held in life-threatening conditions.
Amnesty International interviewed detainees who described a catalogue of cruelties at the hands of Saudi Arabian authorities, including being chained together in pairs, forced to use their cell floors as toilets, and confined 24 hours a day in unbearably crowded cells. Amnesty International documented the deaths of three adults in detention, based on consistent eyewitness testimonies. Other detainees reported at least four more deaths; while it was not possible to independently corroborate these claims, the prevalence of disease and the lack of food, water and health care indicates the true number of deaths could be much higher.
“Thousands of Ethiopian migrants, who left their homes in search of a better life, have instead faced unimaginable cruelty at every turn. Confined to filthy cells, surrounded by death and disease, the situation is so dire that at least two people have attempted to take their own lives,” said Marie Forestier, Researcher and Advisor on Refugee and Migrant Rights at Amnesty International.
“Pregnant women, babies and small children are held in these same appalling conditions, and three detainees said they knew of children who had died. We are urging the Saudi authorities to immediately release all arbitrarily detained migrants, and significantly improve detention conditions before more lives are lost.”
Amnesty International is also calling on the Ethiopian government to urgently facilitate the voluntary repatriation and reintegration of Ethiopian nationals, and to press the Saudi government to improve detention conditions in the interim.
Amnesty International interviewed 12 detained Ethiopian migrants via a messaging app between 24 June 2020 and 31 July 2020. Their allegations were corroborated by videos, photos and satellite imagery analyzed by the organization’s Crisis Evidence Lab.
Mohammed Mussa Idris
Obituary
Mohammed Mussa Idris
1935-2020
Rotarian Mohammed Mussa Idris was a great man known to many as a beloved father and brother, a kind soul with a big heart and an endearing smile.
A benefactor to many, especially to the children of Daleti town, Oromia region for whose education he fought tooth and nail every day.
A communication expert, he has worked most of his life in the media both as practitioner as well as teacher.
For Rotarians he is a father figure who will always be remembered as the man behind the fight against Polio.
Rtn. Mohamed has truly labored for the gains achieved against polio in Ethiopia. He worked tirelessly since the start of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) first with WHO for over 10 years and then with Rotary International, through the National Polio Plus Committee Ethiopia, liaising with the Federal Ministry of Health and all the partners and allies involved, including WHO, UNICEF, B&MGF, CDC, USAID and Core Group.
His deep understanding of the closely knitted Ethiopian culture and tradition has allowed him to seamlessly cruise between the various religious groups to communicate through their large organized structures and advocate the importance of children immunization to the people.
He played an instrumental and integral part in the signing of the protocol agreement in 1998 among neighboring countries which permitted health workers’ free cross border movement and access to vaccinate children.
Gash Mohammed as he is fondly called is remembered for his tenacious, original and innovative lobbying skills to raise awareness among politicians, religious leaders and even Rotarians about polio eradication.
Not only did he work tirelessly on social mobilization and advocacy activities, but he never shied away from the leg work. For over two decades he has taken part in social mobilization and vaccination campaigns in the remotest parts of Ethiopia where polio was looming.
His wish always, was to see the end of polio from the world and was ecstatic when Africa was announced Wild Polio Free on August 25th this year. But he did not spare a moment basking in the glory, and went on with his work to completely rid the earth from this debilitating disease.
Among other recognitions, he has been awarded the Regional Service Award for a Polio Free World from the Rotary Foundation Trustees’ Chair in 2019 in appreciation of his significant active personal service towards the goal of polio eradication.
Gash Mohammed will always be remembered and recognized for his manifold achievements but also for the value he brought to the fight against polio, which was always highlighted and transmitted in all his actions and personal commitments, to always advocate and serve in all his capacity all those directly involved in this historic effort as he called it. 
Gash Mohammed’s services and eminent merits in the course of his life will always be remembered within our community and beyond. His is translated by his active, energetic and generous participation without considering his time, his talents or his money to help improve the lives of those less fortunate.
May Your Soul Rest in Peace and Power Gash Mohammed!
May Almighty Allah Dwell You in Jannatul Firdaus!
“He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery Sunset, September 30, 2020.
