Among the visible and tangible positive results of the activities of the current government is the now-famous Corridor Development Project, which has transformed urban areas beginning from Addis Ababa and extending to other Ethiopian cities. According to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Ph.D.), who recently had an interview with EBC, the various advantages of the project are clearly visible and undeniable, whether one supports or opposes the policies of the government. He took the time to describe the objectives of the project and the rationale behind it. He pointed out that certain people were heard stating that the government has lost its compass of priorities in implementing such projects because it is not the time to beautify roads and neighborhoods when people need more urgent things.
There are indeed multiple problems in the country, he said, but if one considers the long-term advantages of the corridor development project, they would appreciate it very much. He said the Corridor Development project is about the health of nationals who are living in poor conditions in neighborhoods where humans should not live. Houses that do not have the basic needs of a decent life cannot be called houses. A house without running water and a system of waste disposal cannot be suitable for a healthy life, and the corridor project intends to rectify the wrong immediately without losing further time.
The years in which these residents of the slums have suffered are enough during all the years they have lived there under indecent circumstances. The premier described Ethiopian cities to be places where citizens could not enjoy a decent standard of living due to multiple factors. He talked about the lack of sanitary conditions in multiple quarters in Addis. Seeing people carrying out their physiological needs in areas where people are living their day-to-day life activities side by side in an open scene is, to say the least, distressing. Seeing entire neighborhoods living in areas where there is no access to water and Sewerage services has become a source of various kinds of waterborne diseases and intestinal infections, and the like.
This is a huge burden to the National Health Service, giving people who are already congested with normal patients. The premier went on to say that the corridor development is mainly about living in decent conditions and healthy environments. That is what we have been doing during the last years since the beginning of this vast project, he noted. Old and dilapidated houses in old and dilapidated neighborhoods, such as the old Piassa and Kazanchis, have been completely transformed into new neighborhoods which are beautiful to see and healthy to live in.
The roads have been built from scratch and are now large avenues lined by trees. New polls for street lights have been erected throughout the new neighborhoods. Large roads for pedestrians have also been built, along with swathes of areas covered with grass and gardens. Parks also have been prepared with fountains, and people could walk there and when they are tired, they take a break or chat with their friends and relatives in relaxation. Taking a moment or two to sit down on the newly erected benches creates some solace for anyone who might have been jogging or walking for an extended period of time.
There are sanitation services every few meters, and people can use them in dignity without having to satisfy their physiological urgencies on the streets or corners of the same. Such unpleasant practice must stop because it is a nuisance for our health, and pedestrians do not feel comfortable when they see other pedestrians use the streets for indecent purposes, the premier underscored. That is why there was an urgent need to put up all these facilities, because otherwise, urban life becomes a huge health challenge. People have now found it comfortable to walk on these streets, enjoying the scenes of a beautiful garden or fountain, etc. The large sidewalks are so comfortable that people have now developed the habit of going long distances on foot, which is very much recommended by doctors for a healthier life.
The corridor development has taken into consideration all of these conditions. We should be envious of other cities even in Africa, such as Kigali in Rwanda, for instance, which has transformed its capital city to becoming a clean, attractive, healthy, and beautiful one. Hence, the premier said the corridor development project is a transformative program that changes the lives of urban dwellers. Because of the corridor development project, a new habit of working very hard and 24/7 has developed, and this should continue because it would lead us to more achievements and more growth, and prosperity. Thousands have found jobs with these projects, and the economic impact is remarkable.
When the corridor development project was initially introduced, no one could anticipate that it would be a game changer in urban life. Everyone was guessing that a few cosmetic changes would be introduced and nothing more. In fact, such changes may have happened sometimes in the past during some anniversary to celebrate or when a head of state comes to visit Ethiopia. There was a lot of talk among residents when they saw that some of the houses were demolished. People were beginning to fear for their homes when they saw that more and more houses were being demolished. Then they began to see that the demolitions began to be extended and spread fast with fast pace. Everyone was wondering what the next move of the City Council would be. There was a lot of excitement among the residents of Addis as they began to dream of a new city. The number of people working on this project was very large. Many contractors, many trucks, many laborers, lots of construction materials such as stones, bricks, pebbles, tubes, wires, poles, and other necessary materials filled the side roads and the neighborhoods in renovation. It was evident that the city administration meant serious business.
However, people could not anticipate that the activities were encompassing all the major old neighborhoods as well as shops and businesses, which were too close to the big avenues, such as the neighborhood called CMC St Michael. The entire neighborhood of Piassa, the old quarter’s called ‘Erri Bekentu’ and ‘Doro Manekia’, was all demolished. Similarly, the quarter near Ras Mekonnen Bridge was also demolished, and a new face was given to the neighborhood. Kazanchis and Bole were also the other two prominent neighborhoods that were completely changed with the corridor development project. Anyone who has not followed the new developments on a daily basis would not recognize these neighborhoods after the renovation activities.
The change was one that can be said to be total and all-encompassing. Concerning the residents who had to change residence areas, there were lots of consultations and discussions with the City Council, including Mayor Adanech Abiebie and other high-ranking officials who tried to create enough awareness and conviction about their new dwelling, which the administration was ready to hand them in replacement of the old houses. Those who had title deeds of ownership would be compensated fully based on the current value of their houses. Those who used to live in Kebele houses were provided with new houses in the various condominiums across the city. Care was taken, according to the City Council, that the social fabric of the inhabitants who used to live in the same surroundings was given houses near each other, and even the small businesses were allowed to continue in the new quarters. Where there were not enough transport facilities, new ones were added so that people could travel to their usual work posts without too much hustle.
What is more, the city council has also been building new schools in the new quarters for the children who attend school. Mostly, people were saying that they were satisfied with their new homes and neighborhoods because they are clean and are provided with sanitation facilities that they never had or had to share with lots of people. The residents who have been relocated to new sites were arranged in such a manner that they would live together as they used to. The tradition of placing people who have been relocated to similar or very near places so that people do not need to live a completely new life with new people has been carefully continued. The main objective of the corridor development plan is according to the prime minister, is the introduction of a new and healthy life to residents who did not have one. Given that the neighborhoods were old and congested with little or no facilities, they were not suitable for a healthy life. Hence, the corridor project is about improving the standard of living of residents. It is about giving access to people to running water, sanitation services easy access to large roads where if accidents or emergencies such as a breakout of fire or s some serious and sudden health crisis happens it would be possible to introduce fire fighters or ambulances to these neighborhoods which were not available in the old quarters.
Another factor for the existence of the corridor project is the lack of roads for pedestrians who had to mingle with the traffic of vehicles, endangering their lives while walking or crossing roads. The construction of new and large sidewalks has resolved this problem. Traffic jams have been significantly avoided or lessened, and people are not obliged to stay in the congested traffic to commute to their work posts and lose valuable time, and at the same time, reduce the cost of fuel.
The City Council has also built lots of plots where vehicles could be parked in the city Centre, and the roads get larger without cars being parked along the streets, thus reducing congestion them. This has been constructed in multiple sites in the city after the implementation of the corridor project. Another result of the corridor project is the placement of new street lights with the wires all buried under the ground so that there won’t be frequent power interruptions due to adverse weather conditions, especially during the rainy season. The beautification of the city with large swathes of land covered with green area, with flowers and fountains, has given the city a new and healthy image. The fact that the city is now illuminated at night has also contributed to the safety of the inhabitants while traveling at night. Crime has been reduced to a minimum.
All those who have seen these developments have had only appreciation and acknowledgment of the efforts of the city council for having put in place such an extensive transformation of the city worthy of its name and reputation as the diplomatic capital of Africa.
BY FITSUM GETACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 21 JUNE 2025
