By marking Ethiopia’s City’s Day last Friday, the nation has consummated Cities’ Forum it organized in Jigjiga. Such an event serves towns an occasion to gauge their level of developmental ascension, cross fertilize experiences, enjoy laudations for displayed achievements, bask under appreciation for heartening administration and receive awards for standing shoulder high in light of the aforementioned parameters.
This year, the day had created a venue to conjure up in mind the color spectrum of Ethiopianism and the diversity backdrop that accentuates nation’s unity. It as well is believed to ensure accretion, the springboard for town’s peace and prosperity. Thrust towards creating towns that systematically cushion ever swelling-up rural-urban migration with efficiency, that prove comfy to their residents or guests, that showcase unity in diversity, that prove sought-after spots by all and finally that contribute for the growth and development of the nation is not a task brushed aside as an occasion that marks a day which comes once in a blue moon on the event calendar.
Rather, it must facilitate a platform for checking strides of one another and crosspollinating ideas. Hence, when citizens mark such events it must be mindful of the fact that they have to be appreciative of portrayed achievements. Also, they have to be proactive in drawing lessons and ever alert in identifying challenges pending tackling tasks. In light of the reform Ethiopia has been through for some months now, citizens have to work hard to make their towns the Mecca of synergy and also fabrics that keeps tight our unity.
In order every citizen exercise his/her right of working anywhere under Ethiopia’s sky as per the philosophy of accretion, towns should be in full gear to give better services. Citizens must fully enjoy the right of living anywhere equally collecting wealth through the sweat of their brow and getting across-the-board treatment of wealth. Towns have to be salubrious to citizens. They have to expand state-of- the-art infrastructural facilities and render satisfactory services.
They have to slash down unemployment, improve land administration, and promote green development and harness technology and creativity. In line with the reform directive, in all structural set ups of task-handling and people centered service rendering as well as institutions building, attempts are made to ensure that activities have rippled to the grassroots. Beefing up financial muscles and building human power are activities accomplished to this effect. Expecting change overnight is not plausible. But there is no gainsaying, bit by bit, the move will crystalize tangible accomplishments across towns.
Against the aforementioned backdrop, these governmental institutions are expected to do better than their best to address the reasonable questions urban dwellers pose pertaining to residential houses as well as water, electric, transport, health and sanitation services. The other thing citizens need to take into account is considerateness, cooperation and crosspollination of ideas.
In so doing, taking lessons from each other, stepping up strong sides and mending mistakes, citizens could further reinforce national growth. The reform underway is bearing fruit. All are zooming their eyes towards Ethiopia. All want to be part of the historic phenomena. Many are asking us how they could be of help to the country. In order the golden opportunities fructify, the country must not spare efforts to draw FDI, it has to show conviction to pool domestic resources and be eager to change their mind set. Ethiopians do not have to be tardy to lend a cooperative hand. When others show a bent to draw lessons from them, citizens must develop the mentality how they could be of better help to the country.
As long as they are under Ethiopia’s sky, citizens are expected to prosper based on equitable utilization of resources and to develop their country mindful of the significance of clicking with one another with a sentiment of Ethiopianism and synergy. “With one part of our body ailing we may not spend a day with our health intact but we cannot continue that way! Cognizant of this fact to come up with better Ethiopia that is salubrious for our children in concert we have to lay the foundation stone today.
Towards this end, we are expected to make our towns playgrounds for unity,” was what the premier said emphasizing on the issue. When it comes to citizens’ ethnic mix, towns serve petty models of Ethiopia. This way the profit mix from the transaction of yield, labor and service will accrue to all. Justice and equality will materialize.
A large mass of identities generating a joint wisdom allow a launching pad to path breaking creativity. Aside from assessing the outward physical growth of towns, when citizens mark cities day, they have to reiterate commitment to see to the observation of the rights of citizens permanently dwelling in them. They have to ensure their demands are satisfied. To render cities models of civilization, commitment and exertions are expected from residents, developers and all Ethiopians.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 24/2019
