WATER
Ministry to Execute over $2 bln. WASH
The Ministry of Water, Irrigation & Energy (MoWIE) announced that it would execute water supply and sanitation software and hardware activities at a cost of 2.4 billion dollars in the One WASH National Programme (OWNP) throughout the country.
Opening the Sixth Water Supply, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Multi-Stakeholders Forum held with the theme: “Innovative One WASH for Sustainable Development”, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Alemayhu Tegenu said that the programme would be the main instrument for the universal goals that are to be achieved 98.5pc, 100pc, 77pc and 80pc in water supply, basic sanitation, hand washing and open defecation free status respectively.
Publication: Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), February 3, 2014.
HIV/AIDS
Office Gets 17 m Br for RCC Project
The Addis Abeba HIV and AIDS Prevention & Control Office (AAHAPCO) said the collective effort of all stakeholders is key to effectively implement Global Fund Rolling Continuation Channel (RCC) second phase, fifth year project.
The project is expected to engage HIV vulnerable women and commercial sex workers in alternative income generating activities after training them in Micro and Small- scale businesses.
The HIV/AIDS Prevention & Control Office (HAPCO) has allocated 17 million Br for the fifth year project implementation designed to benefit various poor women and commercial sex workers found in all districts of Addis Abeba, Welkite Berhanu, AAHAPCO Global Fund Programme coordinator.
He also disclosed that lack of coordination among the different stakeholders and failing to collect loan provided to beneficiaries, among others, had been critical challenges faced in the previous implementation period. According to him, beneficiaries also faced difficulties for they can hardly get shades to produce and market their goods.
Publication: Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) February 5, 2014.
EDUCATION
49m Br Pledged for Boarding Schools
On the first round of pledging scheme the Oromia Development Association (ODA) has been collecting the pledged 50.7 million Br and on the second round traders, among others, pledged 49 million Br for boarding schools to ensure quality of education and create favorable condition for generations to come.
Boarding schools are going to be built predominantly to serve as hub for outstanding students in Oromia Region, ODA executive director, Adanech Abeibei, said.
This contributes a lion’s share for quality of education and cultivating generation who lead the nation. As the part of the effort, the total amount of money pledged reached over 120 million Br (in kind and in cash).
Publication: Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), February 6, 2014.
FIRE ACCIDENT
Fire Destroys 19 Shops
Fire destroyed 19 shops in Gofa Market Center located in woreda 9 of Nifas Silk Lafto District at 7:15pm on Tuesday. It had taken two hours to control the fire, according to Public Relations officer with the Fire Fighting Authority, Nigatu Mamo. He said 74 men from the Authority managed to control fire using eight fire trucks, four ambulances and 53,000 litres of water.
“There is no casualty, but the property destroyed hasn’t been estimated yet to specify,” he said. Reminding that fire has been threatening the market center repeatedly; the officer urged the public to take the necessary care always.
Publication: Walta Information Center (WIC), February 5, 2014.
AGRICULTURE
Ethiopia to Reap over 253 m Qnl Harvest
The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) said that over 253.8 million quintals of agricultural output is expected to be reaped in the 2013/14 harvest season.
Ministry Public Relations head, Tarekegn Tsige, told Walta Information Center (WIC) that the stated output will be harvested from 12. 28 million hectares of land developed across the country.
The agricultural output expected to be harvested in the reported period exceeds that of the previous harvest season by 22.5 million quintals, he said.
He attributed the increase to the awareness raising and skill trainings given to leaderships and nine million framers as well as well-timed distribution of agricultural inputs. Over 1.6 million metric tons of chemical fertilizer, 37 million metric tons of compost, 92, 300 bags of bio fertilizer and over 2 million quintals of select seeds were distributed among farmers, he said.
Publication: Walta Information Center (WIC), February 6, 2014.
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