Jul 23 , 2022
By Eden Sahle
We do not value our freedom to travel until it gets systemically restricted, preventing people from exploring the opportunities abroad that can benefit them and their country. It is a lesson learned the hard way by the hopefuls I mentor.
Sponsored training opportunities, including through US and UK funding, have enhanced my skills and developed my career. I try to give back to the community by mentoring university graduates looking to acquire global experience and competitive advantage. Some have won scholarships.
Two of them went to Europe, all expenses paid. They got opportunities to work and learn from developers in the US and Europe. They came back with new skills in their fields and experiences that opened doors for them, expanding their professional horizon.
Another two were not as lucky. They could not exploit their scholarship opportunity because they could not get passports. Several support letters written for them did not help. The immigration agency tells them that their invitation letter does not privilege them to access urgent passport processing. Instead, an alternative is suggested: “buying your rights,” a fancy name for a bribe. This way, it only takes 20 days.
Public servants boldly suggest this crime with polite voices and big smiles. They find comforting words for those who find paying corruption criminal or sinful. These staffers even have active social media channels and brokers where they manage their criminal activities in public.
The passport saga is not only the problem of the two individual scholarship beneficiaries but also many others. Just three weeks back, a young medical doctor told me about his ordeal to get a passport. Despite providing his business travel purposes, he said he was interrogated, and his travel reason was questioned because he came from a particular place. A year after his application, he still has not received his passport. He gave up on the opportunities that would have allowed him to serve his patients and the country better.
Citizens are not only denied service but are sometimes physically beaten in queues by security forces at the immigration office. Few noble security forces are seen arguing among themselves as they disagreed citizens had to be beaten for clamouring to receive service. The simple request for a travel identification document has endless chaos for those enduring it and for anyone observing.
The constitution and many other international human rights laws guarantee the free movement of people. The supreme law of the land guarantees freedom of movement as a democratic right of citizens. It is puzzling to witness citizenship rights continue to be mismanaged and undermined on a large scale.
People are the foundation of any country; everybody loses unless a nation values its citizens and treats them with respect. Inefficiency breeds corruption as it makes people desperate to receive service on time and at any cost. Those who refuse to pay bribes are left to deal with the trauma of having to put their life on hold.
Criminal activities cannot be ignored as its costly for the already struggling nation. Listening to the public grievance requires more than placing a comment box that is questionable if it ever gets opened. People who are upbeat about serving their country should never be discouraged, pushing them to lose hope.
Leaders’ highest priority should be ensuring citizenship rights are met indiscriminately. People’s satisfaction with their country is one of the main factors that can lead them to build it for themselves and the next generation. Leaders should work harder instead of pointing fingers. They should aspire to create an efficient system. Otherwise, they have to reassess their purpose in their position.
People in important government positions should be logical about the process in place and imaginative in solving problems. The perception of urgency should sync into their mindset. Otherwise, opportunities are lost. It is a tragedy to allow people to be robbed of prospects due to technicalities, long lines or because they are not willing to shell out bribes.
PUBLISHED ON
Jul 23,2022 [ VOL
23 , NO
1160]
Editorial | May 07,2022
Radar | Aug 12,2023
Viewpoints | Nov 13,2021
Fortune News | Aug 31,2019
Fortune News | Mar 25,2023
My Opinion | 115401 Views | Aug 14,2021
My Opinion | 111447 Views | Aug 21,2021
My Opinion | 110409 Views | Sep 10,2021
My Opinion | 108265 Views | Aug 07,2021
Agenda | Nov 16,2024
Aug 18 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Although predictable Yonas Zerihun's job in the ride-hailing service is not immune to...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Investors who rely on tractors, trucks, and field vehicles for commuting, transportin...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By MUNIR SHEMSU
The cracks in Ethiopia's higher education system were laid bare during a synthesis re...
Jul 13 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
Construction authorities have unveiled a price adjustment implementation manual for s...
Nov 16 , 2024
In the realm of public finance, balance sheets speak louder than rhetoric. In such do...
Nov 9 , 2024
Ethiopia's foreign exchange debacle resembles a tangled web of contradictions and con...
Nov 2 , 2024
Addis Abeba, fondly dubbed a 'New Flower,' is wilting under the weight of unchecked u...
Oct 26 , 2024
When flames devoured parts of Mercato, residents watched helplessly as decades of toi...
Nov 16 , 2024
Malaria, a persistent threat in rural areas, is resurging with alarming intensity in...
Nov 16 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
A bidder stunned land auction participants by offering a record-breaking offer for a...
Nov 16 , 2024 . By AKSAH ITALO
The establishment of a monetary policy committee within the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) was added to the proposed re...
Nov 16 , 2024 . By Michael Girma
A three-day summit last week set the stage to launch the long-awaited Ethiopian Secur...