The Dawro Zone of South West Ethiopia Administration called on domestic and international mining companies to tap abundant mineral resources.

Dawro Zone Administrator Desta Demise told The Ethiopian Herald that the zone has a huge accumulation of minerals such as gold, coal, iron ore and others.

However, the people residing in the area had not been benefited from these resources because of poor number of investors engaged in the sector due to lack of infrastructure, he stated.

According to Desta, the infrastructural facilities are being facilitated since the area has been visited by Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed (PhD). "After he visited the area, our inquiries of becoming a State and infrastructural development have got the right response," he said.

Now the infrastructure development activities and other facilities attract more investors who aspired to unleash mining sector potentials of the zone, he added.

So far, eight companies have been licensed to invest in coal mining of which ET Coal Developing Share Company is one of them.

Currently 85% of the ground work of the 5.2 billion Birr worth company has been completed, company Representative Wondimu Mitiku disclosed.

He also expressed that his company envisaged to supply coal to cement factories thereby saves country's foreign currency to import the product.

Moreover, the company will create some 410 jobs up on completion, Wondimu added.

Apart from minerals, the Dawro Zone also suitable for fishery thanks to the artificial lake created as a result of Gibe III hydropower project, the Zone Administrator said, while calling up on investors to utilize the potential and make business in the area.

A media crew has been visiting the South West Ethiopia State including Dawro Zone in a field visit organized by the Government Communication Service aimed at promoting the untapped natural resources of the State there by ensure the prosperity of the society.