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Woman Takes Helm as Deputy in Shake-Up at Customs Commission

Sep 21 , 2023

The Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC) will see a change in its top ranks after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) appointed Muluwork Derese as the new Deputy Commissioner, succeeding Mulugeta Beyene.

Muluwork, who has already reported to Commissioner Debele Kebeta, awaits her formal office induction.

Beginning her professional journey post-graduation from Hawassa University with undergraduate studies in Statistics, she initially worked as an expert at the Sidama Zone's Revenues Bureau, in 2009. A brief stint as a Director of Women's Affairs for the Southern Regional State Administration was followed by a promotion to General Director of the revenues bureau in 2019.

In the wake of Sidama gaining a regional state status two years ago, Muluwork was at the forefront, helping craft its legal framework. However, she resigned after a year, attributing the decision to personal circumstances.

Moving to Addis Abeba, she took on advisory roles for the Housing Development & Administration Bureau, subsequently ascending to Deputy Head of the housing development management directorate. A tenure during which she managed over 150,000 housed under the Kebele administration highlighted the prevailing housing crunch in the region.

"There is a deficit between supply and demand," she recalled.

A member of the incumbent Prosperity Party (PP) and the Sidama Regional State Council, Muluwork is also active in the banking industry, holding a board position at Sidama Bank S.C., an establishment that evolved from the Sidama Microfinance Institution.

Her appointment for the Deputy Commissioner's office, as she revealed, came through recommendations.

"I took a chance and competed for the position," she told Fortune, embracing the opportunity.

She learned of her appointment on September 13 after a letter was dispatched from the Prime Minister's Office.

Armed with a graduate degree in Development Studies, majoring in Governance, Muluwork is concurrently working towards an advanced degree in Economics.

"I`m ready for the challenges to come," she said.

Previously, under the Abiy administration, the Prime Minister's Office established a task force to deal with illicit trade, with the Commission disclosing that contraband goods valued at 10.2 billion Br were confiscated last fiscal year.

Leading the compliance division, Mulugeta, the outgoing Deputy, has been instrumental in the campaign since 2019. Before his tenure as Deputy Commissioner, Mulugeta was a key figure at the now-defunct Ethiopian Revenues & Customs Authority (ERCA).