Feasibility Study Sweetens Possible Restart of Sugar Factory

Jun 11 , 2024


[ssba-buttons]

Industrial Project Services (IPS) completed a year-long feasibility study on restarting operations at the Qessem Sugar Factory in Amhara Regional State. The report, submitted last week, could pave the way for reviving the factory. Qessem is one of several sugar projects nationwide facing setbacks. IPS is also compiling reports on four other sugar factories impacted by conflict, funding shortages, climate issues, and contractor disputes. Shewaferaw Solomon, general manager of IPS, submitted the feasibility report to Tafese Shata, the factory's executive director, at its headquarters on Haile Gebreselassie St. Ethiopia has a long history of sugar production, but domestic demand remains unmet. The Omo Kuraz Sugar Development Project, once envisioned as a large-scale solution, never fully materialised due to various reasons. Security concerns complicate the industry's future, with recent attacks on Wonji and Fincha sugar factories with over 400 million Br damage, urging to be addressed.


Radar

Revenue Drive Intensifies Following 900 Billion Br Milestone

The Minister of Revenue announced plans to collect 1.28 trillion Br in the upcoming fiscal year. This announcement was made during a discussion forum organised by the Ministry of Revenue (MoR) and the Customs Commission, which included senior leaders, employees, and relevant stakeholders. The event, themed "We will achieve our mission through coordinated leadership and active participation of employees," served as the platform for this important announcement. According to the ministry, they s...


Radar

Parliament Endorses Electoral Law Change Tying Party Support to Member Contributions

Federal legislators have ratified a contentious amendment to the Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties' Registration, and Elections Code of Conduct Proclamation, revising the criteria political parties must meet to access government funding. The revised proclamation requires political parties to secure at least 20pc of their income from membership contributions in order to qualify for government grants. The clause passed with a majority vote in parliament, with two votes against and four abs...


Radar

City Unveils Major School Expansion Across 11 Districts

Addis Abeba City Administration has launched 150 education projects valued at over 5.2 billion Br ahead of the 2026 academic year. Spread across the capital's 11 districts, the rollout includes 14 newly built schools and upgrades to 64 existing facilities, adding 1,655 classrooms alongside ICT labs, libraries, and sports fields. City officials say the investment is part of efforts to improve access and quality of education, with infrastructure designed to accommodate students with disabilitie...