Rose Mestika
2 April 2008
Addis Ababa — The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Civic Society Organizations (CSOs) and the business community said they were determined to render a permanent solution to the problem of street begging with a fund they hope to collect from a telethone in Adis Ababa.
The partners vowed to root out street beging by working in a committee that will organize the telethon through which they hope raise some 400 million birr in cash, in kind or services in helping geggars return home, rehabilitate or train and engage in income generating activities.
Speaking at a press conference held at the ministry's conference hall, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Hassen Abdelah called on the support of business society and civic society so the telethon could achieve its objectives.
Employee Federation Secretary General Tadele Yime observed on the occasion that doing business in the capital Addis Ababa was getting increasingly difficult with the growing number beggars in the street who he said were posing a security threat to both shoppers and traders alike.
According to official figures made available at the press conference, there are 200,000 beggars in Ethiopia among with 90,000 are the capital Addis Ababa.
Thousands of people many of them children, are homeless in Addis Ababa, begging on the streets and slipping in sewer system and shaky tents on the pavements.
A previous campaign returned home some 22,000 beggars from Tigray, four thousand to Amhara, more than three thousand to Ormoiya and other regions.
Renowned promoter and former President of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce Wubishet Workalemahu, a member of the committee, said the problem with street begging could be solved "if we stand together for the project and support by any means we have." The telethon committee is also working to find a permanent solution where geggras get back on the streets and in the parks, according to Civil society member of the committee.
Negussie Zewdie said a one NGO was working on this project to see that street beggars don't come back.
The entrance fee for the telethon where a call will be made to Ethiopians in Diaspora for their support to the success of the project.
More than 15,00 people are projected to attend the telethon which the committee expects to be attended by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Presiden Girma Wolde Giorgis.
In addition to that the President, PM, regional presidents, and other high officials will be present at the ceremony.
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It is a pity to read such a vacuume lots of words of a superidiot animal who 'knows' some political, economic and hatred terminologies.
Hey man we are tired of narrow minded anti-Tigrian people talking about Ethiopia. whether you like it or not, the country has embarked on a better path of development with Gods blessing. Let 'people' like you be busy with abusive thoughts. We have no time for garbage ideas.
We will eradicate not only beggary but also take our motherland away from poverty in a much better style than any other regime you wish to rule Ethiopia. Try to be broadminded Amhara or Tigrian or Oromo.
beggars are returned to their village....not to "Sefera"..and they are supported by indigineouse NGO..forgot its name.."good shipered?''''"...so if there is an oppotrunity for rehablitation,what is wrong?.We know that Ethiopia is a poor country to support /give aid to such thousands of people.But it is not the result of the current gov't....when we look the beggars most of them are old people.....it indicates that they were not able to lead a stablized life even durring Haileslassie,Derg....so all we are responsible,share what you have in an organized and controlled way...not simply blame the gov't ...better to suggest the solution.
For me it is foolish to think that street beggar problem will be solved by repatriating those on the street to their home area and engaging others in some income generation schemes. The country is one of the poorest, with the current unemployment rate, hiking inflation, rampant corruption and miss administration, poor economic policy and idiots like Meles, Addisu, Tefera walwa and co. in power the country will produce more beggars even at an alarming rate in the near future. This means there is a huge reserve of beggars throughout the country. Now what we see is a kind of equilibrium to the carrying capacity of the city. Once you start to remove the beggars from the street you will see an immediate flux of beggars to fill the vacancy, this time not from the rural area it will be from the city itself. Go and see how the low income families are living in the city. The solution should be to check population growth. Have a strong industry lead economy to absorb the rural farmers. The agrarian area is under pressure from increase in population consequently land fragmentation. Absorbing farmers in to the industry will leave bigger farming land for the farmers who stay in the business. And this will encourage farmers to adopt improved agricultural technology and thereby boost productivity. Good agricultural production will keep the farmer in the business. For this to happen in our time, the thugs and bed bugs sucking the blood of the poor people should be brought to justice and a new government with a dream of great Ethiopia should come to power through popular election. lack of good governance, Coruption and Tyrany are the main sources of all the problems in Ethiopia.