A third of 190 manufacturing industries that had sustained heavy damage due to the armed conflict in the country's north have resumed operations, according to the Ministry of Industry. Presenting a report to Parliament last week, Industry Minister Melaku Alebel told MPs that nearly two dozen industries had been damaged completely and would not return to operational status. Another 103 manufacturing industries sustained partial damage. In addition to disruptions and damage due to conflict, the manufacturing sector is plagued with acute shortages of foreign currency needed to import inputs, as well as power supply outages. A study conducted by the Ministry of Trade & Regional Integration three months ago revealed the sector's average capacity utilisation declined by nearly half to 26pc this year.
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