BY HENOK TIBEBU
Not only is our country—Ethiopia—the origin of mankind but it was also world’s center of civilization once. It also experienced civil war for seventeen consecutive years, drought, famine, corruption and poverty in the twenty first century.
Even though it has been a long standing independent sovereign nation, Ethiopia has a recorded history of defeating a colonial fascist power twice. It has still had an arduous struggle against deep rooted poverty led socioeconomic and political problems with a view to regaining its greatness once again.
Despite the fact that the nation registered a rapid economic growth, which was lauded by some international organizations over the past two decades, there have been certain inconveniences that indicate the growth was somehow benefiting only some elite groups during the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) dominated EPDRF administration.
This in turn results in continuous protests, unrests and the death of innocent civilians that intensified the revolution to the extent that the then administration didn’t expect to be.
The revolution that was suppressed for years just burst out with a patriotic Ethiopians concept for years by the youths who needed a multifaceted socioeconomic and political reform in different parts of the Country.
Officials who have truly heard and understood the public’s grievance put their own and families’ lives at a high risk, made a struggle inside the EPDRF and brought very significance change to lead the Country towards a new reform by the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed about two and half years ago.
The Premier started his administration with major principles that advocate peace, forgiveness, unity and synergy. The acceptance from his fellow citizens and the international community was appealing then. Meanwhile, advocating synergy has to be proved practically and Abiy would introduce his plans concerning ongoing and new developmental projects, including the construction of Grand Ethiopian Renascence Dam (GERD).
In spite of its being accompanied by some sort of challenges in relation to the negotiation run by the three countries, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, the construction of the dam is well underway and has shown a better progress as the Premier along with every committed Ethiopians has kept on doing his part for its realization that will not harm any country’s water share.
Hand in hand with the relentless effort to complete ongoing projects, Abiy has introduced different new developmental projects such as the Unity and Entoto Parks, Legehar Reconstruction, Addis Ababa RiverSide project, Meskel Square, the Koisha,, Gorgora and Wonchi projects with the vision to lead the Country towards prosperity.
The very thing that could by no means be overlooked is the Green Legacy campaign that mobilized all Ethiopians and resident international communities to successfully plant, more than 4 billion tree seedlings in the first and over 5 Billion tree seedlings throughout the Country in the second, over the past two years.
Some of the projects like the Unity and Entoto Parks are now completed with an amazing coordinated effort of project managers, financial contributors and the public who believed in the Premier’s vision for prosperity.
This is the first step that proved his commitment to turn promises into successful practical results of constructive missions. The Entoto Park, which is a beautiful recreational gardening project, has helped the nation hit dual targets: it is becoming a well-defined tourist attraction site and has changed the lives of many mothers who have been leading life in poverty via trekking long distances to gather, carry and selling heavy fire woods from Entoto Mountain forest to different parts of Addis.
They are no more doing their exhausting jobs now as the Entoto Project provided them with a dignified job that they are doing with a sense of ownership inside the park.
The Premier’s “Dine for Ethiopia” Initiative has brought several investors, professionals as well as the public together with the motive to do their parts for the realization of the above mentioned new projects.
These projects are aimed to utilize the untapped abundant resources that the Nation possess through the contribution of all proud Ethiopians from every walk of life, so the people residing around the project sites could be productive and change their livelihood.
Most of all the Country could be more attractive for tourists and investors that could contribute to generating more foreign currency and introducing the Nation’s potential for the rest of the world.
In this case, the projects require huge investment and the responsibility should not be left solely to the Government only as they require the combined effort of all.
Despite the fact that the Country is going through several domestic challenges, many proud Ethiopians, living in and outside, have shown their unflinching commitment and support for the ongoing and accomplished projects so far.
“Dine for Ethiopia” Initiative is proving that synergy will lead to prosperity and if there is true commitment, projects that seem to take a long time or unbearable can be done in just one or two years.
Therefore, all Ethiopians particularly the diaspora have to regenerate the pride that they have been holding for the Nation in good or bad times and support these projects where necessary.
After all, the beneficiaries will be the poor mothers and fathers, children and the elderly who are living in the dark shadows of poverty, which is the result of our past uncooperative, ego-centric economic and political system that had been controlled by greedy leaders.
Thus, now is the time that Ethiopians avoid holding grudges on confused ethnic, religious and political scenarios that have been plotted by greedy old traitors of the Nation and come to synergy for the prosperous Country and new coming generation.
The Ethiopian herald December 24/2020
