Privatisation Bill Reaches Legislators

Dec 21 , 2019


A new bill that will gear up the privatisation process of public enterprises has been tabled to parliament. If legislated, the proclamation will replace the existing two-decade-old law. The existing law indicates that a privatisation process will be made within the mandates of the Public Enterprise Holding & Administration Agency. The revised draft recognises the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Finance as stakeholders in the process. The Council of Ministers will determine which enterprises will be privatised and approve their transfer to the Agency. The Council also approves the use and structure of golden share vote and veto rights for any decision deemed against the public interest. The Ministry of Finance will conduct the valuation of the assets and share values of the public enterprise under consideration and decide on the floor price for the transaction. The transactions can be made through a competitive tender, a public auction or an initial public offering (IPO) on a stock exchange or another suitable trading platform. The revised draft proclamation also requires the revenue from privatisation to be deposited in a special account designated for the Industrial Development Fund administered by the Ministry of Finance after the associated costs for the transaction are duly deducted.


Radar

Tech Ministry Falters as Audits Expose Mismanagement, Unmet Ambitions

The Ministry of Innovation & Technology is under scrutiny after an audit revealed lapses in project management and financial oversight. This raised questions about governance standards within a Ministry central to the country's tech-driven growth ambitions. According to the Federal Auditor General, the Ministry has completed only 11pc of its planned projects with its overall financial administration standing at 37.4pc for a year-long project that commenced in 2022. Budget mismanagement an...


Radar

Central Bank Keeps Lending Lid Tight as Inflation Squeezes Economy

The Central Bank has reaffirmed its decision to maintain an 18pc cap on credit growth, reinforcing a commitment to tighter monetary policy during persistent inflation and economic uncertainty. The National Bank of Ethiopia's (NBE) monetary policy committee cited ongoing concerns over inflation, which stood at 19.9pc year-on-year (YoY), and liquidity imbalances as reasons to uphold the restriction on lending. Bankers and analysts interpret this move as evidence of regulators' determination to...


Radar

Ethio Telecom Expands Services with DStv Streaming

Ethio telecom enters the entertainment pool with bundled DStv streaming services through high-speed broadband internet and mobile data packages. The partnership with MultiChoice Ethiopia aspires to merge the telecom's fiber broadband and mobile network with DStv's content. Subscribers can access DStv channels through mobile data or fiber broadband bundles, with discounts of up to 35pc through Telebirr or My Ethiotel (*999#) and up to 26.5pc at sales centers for fiber broadband bundles. Acc...