The government continues to engage public to sustain ongoing development and fight rent seeking mentality to ultimately address public concern.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn said the renaissance journey over the last 15 years has laid a firm foundation for deepening the federal system and sustainable development that ensures fair resource distribution among citizens.
Briefing journalists on the current situation yesterday, the Premier said that the country has registered rapid economic growth with active public participation enabling citizens at all levels become beneficiaries which won international recognition.
He said the nation has been able to extricate 20 million people from the abject poverty over the last 15 years. The country has also moved forward in attaining MDGs and enabling 30 million citizens enroll in educational facilities.
However, Hailemariam said in a country where 20 million people are under poverty line, the unrest in some parts of the country is not a big deal.
Though the government has come a long way in creating millions of jobs for citizens, there are still many more job seekers who are misguided and manipulated by some anti-development forces bent on destabilizing the country , he said.
Considering the concern of the youth, the Premier said besides the clear direction put in the GTP II, the government has already revised the youth package in a way to actively engage and benefit the youth in the development of the country.
He said the recent unrest is because of the unmet pace of the government’s response and the ever increasing public demand.
During the previous renewal, the EPRDF Council has envisioned to create demanding active and duty bound citizens, he said, adding this has already happened.
Talking about the recent EPRDF Council meeting, the Premier said it has reviewed the last 15-year renaissance journey and reached consensus to look inwards to address the basic problems that caused the unrest and violence in some parts of the country.
Hailemariam said of all the issues , the Council has singled out attitudinal and capacity limitation among the leadership as threat in moving forward in all spheres.
The Council has put it in a strong term on the part of the leadership, he said serving the public thereby ensuring social change has been the tradition of EPRDF. On the contrary, the tendency of changing public authority for personal gain has been witnessed, he noted.
Hailemariam said the government continues to engage the public to sustain ongoing development and fight rent seeking mentality to ultimately address public concern.
It is not alien for the EPRDF to go through challenging situations and is still capable of addressing problems with scientific approach, the Premier said.
Regarding border dispute among states, Hailemariam said this emanates from respective state administrations delay in responding to the issue and reaffirmed it would be solved urgently in accordance with the Constitution.
According to the Premier , more to the recognized concerns, some anti peace and development elements are manipulating the youth for their destructive agenda. As the government is responsible to ensure the country’s peace and stability and also protect its citizens from any possible threat , it would take appropriate measures against these groups, he noted.
As per the decision passed by the EPRDF Council, reforms would be taken on the leadership , further strengthening democratic institutions and intensifying corruption battle in a way to address public concerns, Hailemariam said.
The Premier also called on families and the public to advise the youth to refrain from such destructive activities that led them to pay worthless sacrifice. The youth also need to present their demand peacefully to the concerned organs, he noted.
(Hailegebriel Biniyam, The Ethiopian Herald)
