Ethiopia : Public servants in parts of Amhara, South not getting their salaries
April 3, 2023
FacebookTwitter
Ethiopian News _ Public Servants
Google map of Ethiopia and the region
By Hailegebriel Endeshaw
Staff Reporter
ADDIS ABABA – (BORKENA) – some Parliamentarians from South and Amhara Regions disclosed that government offices in their respective regions have not been able to pay salaries to civil servants due to budgets constraint, sources said.
The Amharic Weekly, Reporter said in its Sunday issue that the MPs raised the issue on 27 March 2023 while presenting reports on a consultative discussion held with members of executive and law enforcement permanent committees of the House.
The MPs had to travel to their respective areas and come back to the Parliament with their reports that touched on budget deficiency to cover salaries of the civil servants in the two regions. A Representative coming from the South Region, Melese Menna said that budget constraint has become a big headache for the South Region. Melese spoke of the government institutions that have not been able to pay salaries to civil servants for the past three to four months. “Due to this, the general civil services are falling,” Melese said adding that unless the government finds solution to the problems, civil servants will fail to send their children to school.
Speaking of the cause of the problem, Melese said that as the region was forced to settle arrears of fertilizers, the lion’s share of the allocated budget was shifted to cover the debt piled up for the last ten years. “Therefore, the problem needs special solution. If things continue in this way, services being rendered by the government institutions will come to a halt,” Melese said.
The other Representative of the House from Amhara Region said that the government institutions have not only failed to pay salaries but have also become unsuccessful to keep going as an institution. The MP, who is named Talef, said that the areas affected by the problem are Kelela, Wereillu, Albuko, Kutaber Woredas of North and South Wollo Zones. Coming to central Amhara, she mentioned Enemai, Anedad, Dejen, Goncha, Sisso, Sinan, Bichena Towns of East Giojam Zone including all Woredas in Centaral Gonder, Jawi Woreda of Awi Zone Denbecha Town of West Gojam Zone; Tarmaber and Angolela Woredas of North Shewa Zone.
Talef said that the problem witnessed in Amhara Region are multipronged. As the allocated budget is insufficient, some Woredas have been in a position in which they cannot carry on as Woredas,” she said. The MP further said that though the government said it had allocated 20 billion birr for the rehabilitation of war-damage, no finance has been trickled down in this regard. “This has caused public queries,” Talef said.
Moreover, the MP said the people in some areas “are rising questions” about terminated road projects. “People in many areas are asking why the projects have been cancelled without notifying the people,” according to the MP, Talef.