In the past few days, we have seen Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Ph.D.) conducting extensive consultations with various professional groups to gain a better understanding of the issues they may raise and what the government can do to address them promptly. The premier said that the best way to address social problems is to learn about them from those who feel them most and discuss in what ways these issues could be resolved properly, taking into consideration the country’s situation.
We have recently observed that health staff and teachers have been demanding an improvement in their lot, given that the inflationary tendency in the cost of living and the consequent impact on their monthly income have compelled them to struggle to make ends meet in their livelihood. They stated that they have found it very difficult to continue to take care of patients or to continue to teach students with the anxiety they suffer from due to their poor economic situation.
The premier had discussions with representatives of the health professionals, the business community, and the representatives of the teachers’ associations, as well as the artists community, which they as well have their own issues it would like to communicate to the premier. All these groups were allowed to present their demands and in what way they could be part of the solution, and not only of the problems and challenges.
On the other hand, the premier was presenting the ways the government has been trying to address the issues, taking into due consideration the economic situation of the country and the many other issues that should be on the to-do list for the new fiscal year beginning soon. He took the opportunity to explain the policy of his government to all these groups of professionals one by one. While most of the demands were mainly related to the economic situation of the country in one way or another, there were also other issues raised. Some had something to do regarding the facilities that are in shortage and some of these groups asked the premier to establish government-supported infrastructure, and schools for teachers to fill in where art lessons are given adequately by well-trained staff.
The premier invited the groups’ leaders to present their issues in a brief and organized manner so that many core ideas could be raised and discussed meaningfully and thoroughly. The premier said he was willing and ready to listen to the representatives of the groups and together address the burning issues raised and the challenges that the government has to face to cope with the demands. Some of them could be addressed soon, while others may need more time to do it, the premier stressed.
The first parts of the consultations were initiated by the group leaders, who tried to generally set the agenda briefly by then leaving the platform to those who had the list of demands and observations, as well as what they would suggest as a solution to the issues on the table. It was then followed by the prime minister outlining the position of the government with his own personal reflections and recommendations on the issue at hand.
All in all, after the premier listened to the issues raised, he admitted the existence of the problems and that he was well aware of most of the concerns, but his government had to deal with the issues while taking into consideration the context of several general priorities of the government. In a country such as Ethiopia, with more than 130 million people with multiple realities of their own in terms of needs and expectations, there are bound to be a plethora of problems and priorities in order to be able to address them all at the same time. He talked about the issues farmers face, and they are a big chunk of the working population and cornerstones of the daily life of millions. He talked about subsidies to buy fertilizers from abroad using hard currency; he talked about fuel that is again subsidized, and safety net schemes that relate to millions of people who are not capable of living without it. That was why he said the government was hard pressed amid the efforts to resolve all these issues simultaneously.
The premier repeatedly reminded the groups that while their ideas and demands were legitimate and sound, nevertheless, they should also consider the overall situation of the country, which cannot afford to fully satisfy and resolve all the economic requests of the teachers and health professionals, for instance.
The premier admitted that the salaries of civil servants or government employees are never sufficient to address all of our economic woes because of the condition in which the country finds itself. Many of the demands are or would be addressed if we were a rich nation. He pointed out that some of the problems persist even in the more developed and richer nations. However, under the current circumstances, his government has been striving to fill the gaps that the cost of living and inflation have been inflicting huge losses and damages to civil servants with fixed incomes and people who pay their taxes honestly.
He said that some of the questions raised are in direct contradiction with other groups’ demands. For instance, he has heard of groups asking for tax relief or reduction, or the right to introduce machines and vehicles tax-free, while at the same time, other groups are asking for pay increases. He said reducing taxes cannot go hand in hand with a raise in salaries. The jackpot is only one, and it comes mainly from taxes, and if the government decides to reduce taxes, there won’t be enough resources to address the issues of the shortage of salaries.
Even so, he said his government was considering the issue seriously because it realizes that without health professionals, teachers, and other groups of nationals, it cannot achieve its objectives of continuing with the trajectory of growth and development towards the prosperity of Ethiopians and inherit a strong and united Ethiopia to the next generation. The government also realizes that it has to take care of all community groups in order to create the right environment where we can all live in peace and harmony together under one umbrella, which is our country.
However, the premier warned that those who have tried to politicize these issues and try to create chaos or destabilize the peace and order of the country cannot hope that they can get away with it just because they happen to be doctors, teachers, or even artists. The point the premier tried to elaborate was that mixing legitimate requests with political and partisan agendas cannot be entertained. The government has the constitutional responsibility, obligation, and mandate to see to it that there is respect for law and order, and we are all required equally to abide by the laws of the country. No group of people or party, or any sort of association, can single-handedly dictate their wishes and desires on others. The political landscape is prepared so that free and democratic elections can be held, and the platform is ready for political discourses and debates in the relevant and lawful reunions and meetings, which can be held and compete for power. The façade of struggling for economic demands cannot mask political ambitions against the incumbent. He said that the government cannot allow space for political ambitions under the camouflage of demanding better conditions of life and see inertly when everything degenerates into the risk of lawlessness and the threats of destabilization of the country.
Ethiopia is a huge country with more than 130 million people. It is a growing country and has the ambition of becoming a powerhouse not only in the Horn of Africa but also in the entire continent. It should not be forgotten that Ethiopia is a country with admittedly remarkable political and diplomatic clout that it has deserved and earned owing to what and how it has been taking part and contributing to the international historical diplomatic and political arena throughout the past several decades. It cannot be pushed into disorder so that its enemies can have the occasion to encroach on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ethiopia cannot be bullied by any force anywhere because it has developed adequate force and preparations to successfully foil any form of aggression, be it internally or from abroad. So Ethiopians belonging to any group or association should refrain from being complicit, knowingly or not, with those hostile forces that work round the clock for the disintegration and downfall of Ethiopia. But this is a far-fetched dream that cannot be realized, the premier warned. He then urged these groups to collaborate with the government by contributing their share and together build a rich country that can strengthen the power of the nation in unity and hand over to the next generation a country that is less poor with fewer socio-economic and political problems than today. He said he was confident that these issues could be resolved if everyone worked harder for a common objective and did not present an obstacle to the growth of Ethiopia.
BY FITSUM GETACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 24 JUNE 2025
