SIDE POCKET


SIDE POCKET

A new road around the Sheraton Addis Hotel opens a quick detour across aesthetically pleasing scenery. A severe shortage of cement as the 12 operational factories meet less than half of the 36 million tons demanded has caused the delay of several road projects in the country. With only a few key projects in selected areas receiving priority, the inability to juggle contractual delays are leading to constant disputes between contractors and clients. A staggering 41pc of projects administered by the Ethiopian Roads Administration operated at less than half of the planned capacity, with 20pc lacking both planning and implementation.


In-Picture

DELIVERING HOPE

A young man sits on an Isuzu truck delivering Ambo carbonated water and Coca Cola soft drinks to clients in the Gotera area. The transport sector, which involves many youth, creates numerous informal job opportunities. The ILO estimates that 31pc of employees are in the service sector. According to 2022 data from the Ethiopian Statistics Service (ESS), youth unemployment rate in urban areas stood at 27.2pc, one of the highest in Africa. ...


In-Picture

BOOKSTORE REVAMP

This long-lived building is a branch of Mega Books, after a recent revamp in line with corridor development projects around Arat Kilo. Established in 2007, Mega Publishing & Distribution has 32 branches including this which has been under renovation for five months. Since its establishment, the company has published and distributed several supplementary educational materials for primary and secondary education, adult reference materials, nonfiction books, and other literary works...


In-Picture

RISKY REALITY

Dangerous practices, including employees working without safety helmets and other necessary precautions, are observed in a building around Kazanchis. Buildings must be designed and constructed to ensure the safety of people, properties, and other structures. The law entails that those who construct buildings in a manner that endangers public safety could face imprisonment of five to ten years and fines ranging from 20,000Br to 50,000Br, according to the building proclamation...