Gov't to Float Bid for Telecom Privatisation

Sep 4 , 2021


Officials at the Ministry of Finance announced the full request for a proposal for the privatisation of Ethio telecom is to be floated in mid-September. The Ministry, in collaboration with the Public Enterprise Holding & Administration Agency, had called for companies to submit an expression of interest two months ago. According to Eyob Tekalign (PhD), a state minister for Finance, Deloitte, the consultant hired by Ethio telecom to conduct its business valuation, has concluded its preparation and the government is addressing issues that have been raised by interested parties. Once the government finalises the process, the bid will be floated, he added, though he was unwilling to disclose how many applicants have shown interest.


Radar

HEFTY GREEN

Street vendors around the Shola area take a rest in the shades of the capital's newly planted trees. Upon reporting on its 10-month performance before Parliament, the Agriculture Minister, Girma Amentie indicated that up to 43pc of the arable land in the country has been rendered acidic. This requires large amounts of limestone to be imported from abroad; the tight forex crunch has not allowed the Ministry of Finance to fund the endeavour easily. Following the rallying call of the Prime Minister...


Radar

DAMP DENIMS

Residents of communal houses around the Weji area hang their clothes on the fences outside. Textile manufacturing accounts for 87pc of Ethiopia's products from industrial parks. Expulsion from the African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) due to the war in the North resulted in Ethiopia being expelled from the preferential trade act. Most companies choosing to rent sheds within the industrial parks do so out of a desire to access the duty-free privileges provided for African countries. Ethiopi...


Radar

PRICY PLEASURES

Vendors put traditional beauty products from the Somali Regional State for sale around Mexico area. In November of last year, the Ministry of Finance banned imported goods under 38 categories, including cosmetics, packed foods, and furniture, from accessing letters of credit. The move resulted in the tripling of costs for cosmetic items like lipstick and nail polish. As Ethiopia ran a 14 billion dollar merchandise trade deficit last year due to import bills hiking by 26pc , a tight clampdown on...