ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Kaizen Institute (EKI) launched the construction of Kaizen Centre of Excellence aimed at expanding the accessibility of its services here yesterday.
According to Institute Director General Mekonnen Yaie the construction of the center will help to expand Kaizen philosophy in Ethiopia through strengthening capacity building activities in an integrated manner.
The construction of the center named TICAD Human Resource Development Center for Business and Industry believed to enable EKI to offer pragmatic Kaizen training to trainees as it would be facilitated with the needed human and material facilities, he said.
As to him, the kaizen philosophy has been witnessing tangible results in Ethiopia applied by various organizations engaged in production and service delivery. Therefore the center is intended to expand this achievement across the continent.
There is a plan to apply the philosophy in all organizations across the country to bring production improvement and quality of services, he said.
The project will be operated by Japanese companies and expected to be completed within 18 months, he expressed.
The center will have dormitories, training rooms, laboratories and bureaus among others he said, adding that the government of Japan supports the project that worth about 27.5 million USD.
“The philosophy will enable us to improve our working culture and bring synergy to achieve national development.”
The institute will employ its full capacity in consulting, conducting studies and disseminate technologies in Kaizen philosophy when the construction of the center completed, according to the Director General.
“We want to see our companies as successful as Toyota [the Japanese motor company] through applying latest production management system and bring their own ones,” he said.
On the other hand, the expansion of the philosophy will enable the country to attract more Japanese investors, he noted.
Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia
Daisuke Matsunaga for his part said that Ethiopia has successfully adopted the philosophy of Kaizen which include the establishment of EKI. Currently various Ethiopian companies are became productive after implementing the philosophy consulting by the Institute, he disclosed.
The country will be center of excellence in disseminating the Kaizen philosophy across the continent following the completion of the center, he noted.
According to Megumi Hirose, Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Senior Representative the construction of the center is mainly intended to strengthen the capacity of EKI.
The center will help to create common place to give kaizen training to Ethiopian enterprises, government agencies and other organizations and perhaps it will also serve neighboring nations to have the knowhow about the philosophy, she expressed.
“Kaizen is a continuous improvement so that we have to improve [ourselves] everyday, there is no end.” Therefore JICA will enhance its support to the whole efforts in this regard, she said.
The construction of the Center which will be undertaken by Fujita Corporation will lie at 3,713 square meters, and it will have four storey buildings that constitute training rooms, office, lodging and library and multipurpose hall among others.
It was in 2009 that Ethiopia launched Kaizen philosophy capacity building activities to improve productivity supported by JICA, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald October 1, 2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
