The construction industry is booming in Ethiopia. Years ago, the country had been importing cement at huge costs for its developmental projects. In 2010/11 alone, the country imported 0.3 million tonns of cement by spending millions of USD. However, these days, beyond meeting local consumption, the country has begun exporting, owing to the growing number of cement factories.
Dangote Cement Ethiopia PLC, built a cement factory in West Shoa Zone, Adaberga woreda, near Muger town, 85 km west of Addis Ababa in 2015.
Beyond manufacturing cement, the company claims to have brought significant economic benefits to the country.
Dalino C. Trugillo country manager of the company said that the goal of the company is not only to get profit, but also giving services for the community in the vicinity.
According to him, in terms of job creation, apart from directly hiring local people in the company with “very attractive salaries”, it is also offering income generation opportunities to local youth organized in micro and small enterprises.
He also noted that the work in the company always creates job opportunity for 50-100 individuals daily as daily laborers.
Kena Lemma is resident youth of Muger town, and one of the beneficiaries of employment opportunity created through one of the micro and small enterprises organized to supply input and other services.
He said that the company has contributed a lot in job creation for the community. The company has provided a working place for his enterprise after fulfilling all necessary infrastructures to run his business, Kena noted.
He says that currently his enterprise comprised of 18 members obtains 5,000 Birr daily as income.
On the other hand, Bekele Erena, Head of the Company’s Public Relation says that beyond selling products in Ethiopia, the company has been exporting cement to neighboring countries like Djibouti, Somaliland and Kenya.
He stressed that the company played immeasurable role to reduce the scarcity of cement in the country adding that the price of the cement was automatically reduced after the company start to operate in the country.
The other thing the company boasts of having brought an economic advantage to Ethiopia is through technology transfer.
Abate Ali, Quality Control Manager of the company, said that the company uses a robotic technology to be Africa’s leading producer of cement.
According to him, the physical and chemical parts of raw materials are checked in laboratory through modernized technology.
As to him, limestone and other raw materials are checked on line by this equipment and most experts who undertake this activity are foreigners. In a bid to substitute them with Ethiopian experts, the company sent some abroad for training, which has great advantage in transferring technology.
Tamirat Tesfaye, Head of the Company’s Training Center, for his part said that the company has planned to sponsor one fresh graduate each from electrical engineering, chemical engineering and management departments from Addis Ababa University, Ambo University and Adama University.
As to him, to get training on technology, the beneficiary of this sponsorship will be sent to Lagos, and the company will cover all the costs that is required for this training. Somaliland and Kenya.
He stressed that the company played immeasurable role to reduce the scarcity of cement in the country adding that the price of the cement was automatically reduced after the company start to operate in the country.
The other thing the company boasts of having brought an economic advantage to Ethiopia is through technology transfer.
Abate Ali, Quality Control Manager of the company, said that the company uses a robotic technology to be Africa’s leading producer of cement.
According to him, the physical and chemical parts of raw materials are checked in laboratory through modernized technology.
As to him, limestone and other raw materials are checked on line by this equipment and most experts who undertake this activity are foreigners. In a bid to substitute them with Ethiopian experts, the company sent some abroad for training, which has great advantage in transferring technology.
Tamirat Tesfaye, Head of the Company’s Training Center, for his part said that the company has planned to sponsor one fresh graduate each from electrical engineering, chemical engineering and management departments from Addis Ababa University, Ambo University and Adama University.
As to him, to get training on technology, the beneficiary of this sponsorship will be sent to Lagos, and the company will cover all the costs that is required for this training.
The Ethiopian Herald April 10, 2019
BY TAMERU REGASA
