Unlike the brutal act that the TPLF has committed and or is committing against Ethiopia and Ethiopians, the Ethiopian government is highly dedicated in rehabilitating the internally displaced peoples (IDPs), and returnees from different Arab countries. Rehabilitation of citizens and institutions is a very important issue for supporting the citizens as well as the economy.
As it is a very sensitive issue to rehabilitate returnees and IDPs, it is important to work jointly with stakeholders. To this end, the Ministry of Labor and Skills (MoLS) has held a national consultative forum with financial sector leaders and Regional and Federal Governments’ officials to mobilize returnees and rehabilitate damaged centers, enterprises and technical and vocational institutions particularly.
Nigussu Tilahun, State Minister of the Ministry said that rehabilitation of citizens and institutions is a very momentous step and it is essential to work with stakeholders. According to him, the devastation caused by TPLF during the war in the Northern part of Ethiopia has hampered the training and job creation facilities of many small and medium enterprises, one-stop service and technical and vocational centers. He also stressed the need to composed work in receiving and rehabilitating the repatriated citizens.
Adding to the point, Nigussu further stated that the Ministry would seek the support of regional public offices, financial institutions and stakeholders in coordinating training and working on job creation to rehabilitate more than 100,000 returnees. It is to be recalled that the Ethiopian government has already started repatriating its citizens who were in different suffering since last week.
These days, a large number of people are out of work as a result of the war. Many of them were supposed to leave their work and country because of the atrocities made by the terrorist TPLF group. To rehabilitate returnees and IDPs, the government has established a committee which comprises 16 government agencies.
And the committee has prepared and implemented a plan of action to guide the repatriation process, including the rehabilitation of the returnees. In its preliminary work, the committee undertook important activities such as compiling comprehensive data, implementing procedures, and document preparation. Accordingly, the initial discussion paper highlighted the need to work together to support returnees and affected institutions.
Discussions were held with various stakeholders on how to support affected enterprises and technical and vocational institutions, as well as the rehabilitating of returnees, noting that it will help to stabilize the national economy.
Moreover, MoLS has also held discussions with international organizations in Ethiopia on the reestablishment of enterprises and technical and vocational institutions, as well as rehabilitating returnees affected by the devastation in the Amhara and Afar regions.
At the end of the meeting, officials commended the Government for its support to the enterprises, technical and vocational institutions as well as the resettlement of returnees, and called on the partners to work together.
Teferi Tadesse, Focal Person for the Rehabilitation Committee for Refugees, told The Ethiopian Herald that there are currently more than 750,000 people in various Arab countries, of which about 450,000 have transited illegally. According to him, it is planned to return 102,000 people in between 7 to 12 months.
According to him, the government needs more than 7.5 billion ETB in order to rehabilitate the returnees and IDPs. Coupled with this, more than 36 thousand citizens have lost their job due to the stubborn act by the TPLF group. In this regard, it is important to consider the need for financial institutions, especially banks, to create favorable conditions, he said, adding that financial and credit conditions should be improved.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Director of Branch Coordination and Fundraising for Enat Bank Alemlay Ayenew said that her institution is highly committed to work with the government in supporting the returnees, the IDPs as well as rehabilitating the looted and destructed institutions.
According to Alemlay, Enat bank, which was established with more than 60 percent women shareholders, is working hard to empower citizens’ economy and livelihood, especially women’s. She said they are intended to provide large loans to returnees and internally displaced women without a collateral or only from 50 to 70 percent. She said the bank will continue its work through providing loans to microfinance institutions since its formation nine years before.
Tewodros Haile, Director of the Bank of Abyssinia Credit Portfolio, for his part praised the government for the efforts it exerted to repatriate and rehabilitate those who have been displaced. He said the bank was ready to do everything which is possible for the displaced citizens following the government’s efforts.
He said the Bank of Abyssinia, which is striving for its international competitiveness, has been working hard not only to increase the shareholders’ share but also to perform its social responsibility.
He said banks and other financial institutions are also responsible institutions in playing an important role in rehabilitating returnees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). He noted the need to properly manage the information of our returnees and to respond in a cohesive manner.
Meanwhile, MoLS has also donated over 75 million birr worth of machinery and training equipment to Kombolcha Polytechnic College as one of its commitment in rehabilitating the destroyed institutions.
The Ministry has received funding from the German Development Bank (KFW) as part of its efforts to reconstruct technical and vocational training colleges, which have been damaged by TPLF armed forces during the war.
The Minister, Muferiat Kamil handed over the support to the Dean of the College, Melaku Aragaw. Education and training institutions are among the most severely affected sectors by the war.
Institutions of education and training, on the other hand, are not only a matter of speeding up the establishment and implementation of knowledge and skills to the next generation. As a result, the Ministry has formed a team to study the extent of the damage to rehabilitate the damaged facilities, the Minister Added.
Although the technical and vocational sector is not supported by many partners, the German government has been providing quality and visible support to the sector. During this time, it has also supported a number of machinery and training facilities.
Kombolcha Polytechnic College is one of the seven centers of excellence in East Africa as a country. She further explained that the trainees should work thoroughly and play their part in solving problems by turning difficult situations into opportunities.
State Minister Beker Shale (PhD), on his part said The Ministry is mobilizing partners, stakeholders and the community to rehabilitate the facilities severely damaged by the invasion.
He said the German Development Bank was prompt to respond, adding that the machinery and training equipment provided by it would strengthen the College in the fields of Garment and Textile, Construction and Agriculture.
German Development Bank spokesman Robert said at the handover ceremony, the Government of Germany is committed to rehabilitating the institutions and will continue to support the ministry’s efforts to better organize the institutions.
Institutions determine the costs of economic transactions. They also spur development in the form of contracts and contract enforcement, common commercial codes, all of which reduce the costs of transactions, risk, and uncertainty. And these institutions need much manpower. Subsequently, if the government and other stockholders work in unison in rehabilitating citizen and institutions it will bring significance contribution to the national economic growth, officials suggested.
BY HIZKEL HAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 8 APRIL 2022
