PRIME PUZZLES


PRIME PUZZLES

A once-vibrant Edna Mall sits empty around the Bole Medhanealem area. The seven-storey complex spanning 2000Sqm has three cinemas, which used to attract hundreds daily for the latest movie releases. The Mall was put up for auction by the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) three years ago, with Chinese firm East Steel Plc emerging as the highest bidder with 810 million Br. Employee compensations, tax issues, and court disputes have all colluded to prevent the reopening of the entertainment hub. The 16-year-old establishment was built by Tekleberhan Ambaye Construction Plc (TACON).

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In-Picture

EMBELLISHED BEHEMOTH

Construction skeletons are visibly seen on the side of a freshly corridor-stroked Kazanchis. While one of the buildings is being constructed, the other one is being torn down. The taller building has been covered up by a green protective netting at the top to prevent wood materials from falling down. Construction-related fatalities and hazards are becoming a big concern. Surveys conducted in several parts of the country suggest that close to 40pc construction workers suffer occupational injuries...


In-Picture

PORTER ESPIONAGE

A man is meticulously carrying five heavy-sized boxes on top of his head as he takes long careful strides in the streets of Mercato, the largest marketplace in Addis Abeba. Several others are walking by him, bringing the unfaltering nostalgic scene of the market. Mercato has been reeling from a series of setbacks, including a devastating fire that ravaged 550 small shops and damaged two prominent buildings in the Shema Tera. On the one side, tax authorties have implemented stricter requirements...


In-Picture

BLISTERING BLAZES

A group of people are sitting in the corner, each covering themselves with an umbrella. They desperately wait for the bus, as they hide themselves from the scorching sun in the mid-afternoon around Bole. Climate change is becoming a major concern for the country grappling with escalating food insecurity, economic headwinds, and security challenges. A recent report outlined a severe food insecurity crisis, with 15.8 million of its citizens facing acute hunger due to a confluence of erratic weathe...