TPLF (Tigray People's Liberation Front), the ruling party in Tigray Regional State should have completed the industrialisation of Tigray. Tigray is the least developed region in Ethiopia in terms of education, industrialisation and infrastructure building. TPLF has been more a burden to Tigray than a help. If we compare Tigray to other regions of Ethiopia, it is least developed. TPLF dominated EPRDF transformed Addis Ababa to be a modern city, which we support. If we look at Mekelle, it is still underdeveloped. The investments were not significant. It seems the Amhara elites have been blackmailing TPLF as they were stopping any foreign investment in Tigray. This was also in the interest of Eritrean dominated TPLF leadership. TPLF leaders and cadres invested more in other parts of Ethiopia because they felt it was easy to make profits. Some Tigrayans were begging Meles Zenawi, a confused Eritrean to invest in Tigray. No road building took place as according to EPRDF, there was a need to use more capital due to mountains present in most of Tigray landscape. It is is of recent memory that EPRDF cancelled the construction of the rail from Mekelle to Aksum, Adwa and Shire.
Tigray is Ethiopia. Ethiopian history and state was born in Aksum and Yeha. Transforming Tigray into a modern industrialized region should should have been the priority of TPLF-EPRDF. However, all development projects were systemically annuled or significantly reduced so that they do not have any impact in transformating the society into a modern industrialized community. that produces commodities. We are not saying all the financial resources should have been invested in Tigray, but a fair share of the national resoures should have gone to develop Tigray's economy. The Federal Government on the contrary was directing Ethiopia's financial resources to develop Addis Ababa and surroundings like in the days of Menelik, Haile Selassie and Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam.
The Tigray people paid heavy sacrifices to overthrow the military regime led by Mengistu Haile Mariam, the Butcher of Addis Ababa. Among the reasons to overthrow Mengistu Rgime was the abject poverty in Tigray due to underdeveloped economy. Meles Zenawi and his TPLF were against developing any significant porjects in Tigray. It took a lot of public realations to open the University of Mekelle.
Meles Zenawi might have been covinced that he should first develop Addis Ababa and surrounding to control the outcome of elections. However, history shows that the people of Addis Ababa were against TPLF because of the ethnic background. In background Ethiopia, what matters is not political commitment or having sound policies.but belonging to an ethnic group, Ethnic background is very important to compete for political power. The Oromo, Amhara and Guraghe wanted to have somebody elected from their ethnic group..That is why TPLF-EPRDF lost the election in 2005. The people of Addis Ababa elected Knijit or the so called (Coalition), which was a group of Dergists and anti-TPLF activists. TPLF-EPRDF was a revolutionary group and would have been committing suicide to allow the counter revolutionary group led by Birtukan Medqissa and Hailu Shawel, take power. Hailu Shawel was a minister under Mengistu's terrorist regime. Needless to say, elections are a means to an end. It was right for EPRDF to ban and disband Knijjit or Coalition for Democracy and Justice.
After 30 years of TPLF rule in Tigray, the people of Tigray are still poor. There are no industries that could employ the tens of thousands of youth living in the region. The mechanisation of agriculture is still in it's infantile stage. We believe the Tigray region should get it's share of federal budget to develop it's economy. There are many foreign investors interested to invest in Tigray. But TPLF leaders are in slumber and are doing nothing. They have organised the Tigray people in a network of 1 to 5 as is the rest of Ethiopia under EPRDF. 1 person controls 5 Tigrayans. The people are afraid of TPLF as TPLF had more financial and human resources to control the community. In retrospect, the people of Tigray are left alone with no infrastructure and an administration wrought with corruption and nepotism. TPLF controls Tigray Ethiopians in the diaspora, which has been counterproductive in developing the economy significantly. TDA (Tigray Development Association) is a corrupt despotic group only symbolically involved in the development Tigray. TDA has a political agenda of controling the people of Tigray and not help them develop their economy to help theselves and families.
It has become clear now TPLF cadres and leaders had no intention of developing the economy in Tigray. They were investing in Addis Ababa, Oromo, Gambella and Hawassa. The so-called EFFORT (Endowment Fund for Rehabilitaion of Tigray) has no no tangible projects in Tigray. EFFORT was not audited and it's financial accounts are not known to the public. Non-Tigray Ethiopians are accusing EFFORT of having many companies. But these companies benfit only the ruling TPLF leaders and cadres.
TPLF leaders and cadres have failed to provide water to Mkelle, Aksum and other towns of Tigray. Water is a basic necessity to human beings. Why has TPLF failed to use The Tekezze Rivr to supply water to Aksum, Adwa, Adigrat and other towns? Water is needed in the those town and other areas of Tigray not only for drinking and hygiene but also for agriculture and maintin the town and villages of Tigray as green areas. Thus digging wells is not enough. The Tekezze River should be harnessed to get water in abudance.
TPLF leaders and their cadres have failed to make Aksum a world city. There is no 5-star hotel in Aksum.. Mekelle has no international airport as travellers have to transit in Addis Ababa. The aviation industry in Ethiopia is foccusing only in Addis Abab and surrounding (Bishoftu). TPLF has no intentions to make Mekelle a developed city with enough water and international hotels, which in turn would attract investors from all over the world. The city of Aksum should have also an international airport, with direct flights from major cities of the world. In their propoganda of lies, TPLF leaders want us to believe that Mekelle is a city of knowledge. This is far from the truth. There are only a couple of colleges, with poor quality. Tigray should have well equipped colleges and universities. The quality of education should be similar to those in the advanced nations of Europe and Asia as they will be our trade partners in the future.
We hope TPLF leaders and cadres would correct their policies and engage the people of Tigray in developing their economy, language and culture. It is still frustrating that Amharic is widely spoken in Mekelle and other towns of Tigray. This is counter productive and should be stopped. Tigray people need to make Tigrigna a developed language for communication with the people of Tigray and other Ethiopians. It is time for Ethiopians to learn Tigrigna to interact with the people of Tigray and with Bahre Negash so-called Eritrea.. Tigray should focus on expanding it's trade relations with Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and other Golf State countries. Tigray's relationship with Sudan is exemplary, but needs more work as our people would need to interact for trade and other purposes. Tigray should have also good trade relations with European and Asian countries. The youth of Tigray should learn major international languages. English should be the second official language of Tigray.. It is advantageous if there are schools for Arabic, Spanish, French and Chinese languages. Tigray should not wait until Addis Ababa wakes up from it's long slumber of corruption and grid.
Tigrigna should be one of the working languages in Ethiopia. Oromo, Somali languages should be also the working languages in Ethiopia. This means the constitution should be translated into Tigrigna. TV and Radio air time should be equally allocated to all offical languages. The dailies like "አዲስ ዘመን " should be available in Tigrigna. National Theatres in Ethiopia should produce works in Tigrigna. Films should be translated into Tigrigna. There should be equal budget allocation to all working languages in Ethiopia. Without a healthy and just federal government, it will be difficult to develop any meaningful economy in Tigray and other parts of Ethiopia.
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The site of the industrial park in Tigray Province(Turkish Industry Holding)
Ozan Semerci, a board member of the developer, told GCR the plan was to develop the site in three stages.
He said: “There will be 15 different factories which will be completed in three phases lasting five or six years. The first phase, which will have a value of €750m, will be four factories making ceramic, granite, paper and prefabricated housing systems.
“We will lay the foundation in March or April after which we are planning to finalise the first phase within two years. When we complete the final phases it will add up to the €2.8bn or €3bn investment.”
Work on the 500ha facility is scheduled to begin spring next year in the town of Adi Gudem, which is in Hintalo district, in the northern Ethiopian province of Tigray.
According to East African website The Exchange, Kelelie Hagaze, administrator of the woreda, said his office was ready to provide the necessary support, including granting the land needed to build the park
Tigray is Ethiopia. Ethiopian history and state was born in Aksum and Yeha. Transforming Tigray into a modern industrialized region should should have been the priority of TPLF-EPRDF. However, all development projects were systemically annuled or significantly reduced so that they do not have any impact in transformating the society into a modern industrialized community. that produces commodities. We are not saying all the financial resources should have been invested in Tigray, but a fair share of the national resoures should have gone to develop Tigray's economy. The Federal Government on the contrary was directing Ethiopia's financial resources to develop Addis Ababa and surroundings like in the days of Menelik, Haile Selassie and Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam.
The Tigray people paid heavy sacrifices to overthrow the military regime led by Mengistu Haile Mariam, the Butcher of Addis Ababa. Among the reasons to overthrow Mengistu Rgime was the abject poverty in Tigray due to underdeveloped economy. Meles Zenawi and his TPLF were against developing any significant porjects in Tigray. It took a lot of public realations to open the University of Mekelle.
Meles Zenawi might have been covinced that he should first develop Addis Ababa and surrounding to control the outcome of elections. However, history shows that the people of Addis Ababa were against TPLF because of the ethnic background. In background Ethiopia, what matters is not political commitment or having sound policies.but belonging to an ethnic group, Ethnic background is very important to compete for political power. The Oromo, Amhara and Guraghe wanted to have somebody elected from their ethnic group..That is why TPLF-EPRDF lost the election in 2005. The people of Addis Ababa elected Knijit or the so called (Coalition), which was a group of Dergists and anti-TPLF activists. TPLF-EPRDF was a revolutionary group and would have been committing suicide to allow the counter revolutionary group led by Birtukan Medqissa and Hailu Shawel, take power. Hailu Shawel was a minister under Mengistu's terrorist regime. Needless to say, elections are a means to an end. It was right for EPRDF to ban and disband Knijjit or Coalition for Democracy and Justice.
After 30 years of TPLF rule in Tigray, the people of Tigray are still poor. There are no industries that could employ the tens of thousands of youth living in the region. The mechanisation of agriculture is still in it's infantile stage. We believe the Tigray region should get it's share of federal budget to develop it's economy. There are many foreign investors interested to invest in Tigray. But TPLF leaders are in slumber and are doing nothing. They have organised the Tigray people in a network of 1 to 5 as is the rest of Ethiopia under EPRDF. 1 person controls 5 Tigrayans. The people are afraid of TPLF as TPLF had more financial and human resources to control the community. In retrospect, the people of Tigray are left alone with no infrastructure and an administration wrought with corruption and nepotism. TPLF controls Tigray Ethiopians in the diaspora, which has been counterproductive in developing the economy significantly. TDA (Tigray Development Association) is a corrupt despotic group only symbolically involved in the development Tigray. TDA has a political agenda of controling the people of Tigray and not help them develop their economy to help theselves and families.
It has become clear now TPLF cadres and leaders had no intention of developing the economy in Tigray. They were investing in Addis Ababa, Oromo, Gambella and Hawassa. The so-called EFFORT (Endowment Fund for Rehabilitaion of Tigray) has no no tangible projects in Tigray. EFFORT was not audited and it's financial accounts are not known to the public. Non-Tigray Ethiopians are accusing EFFORT of having many companies. But these companies benfit only the ruling TPLF leaders and cadres.
TPLF leaders and cadres have failed to provide water to Mkelle, Aksum and other towns of Tigray. Water is a basic necessity to human beings. Why has TPLF failed to use The Tekezze Rivr to supply water to Aksum, Adwa, Adigrat and other towns? Water is needed in the those town and other areas of Tigray not only for drinking and hygiene but also for agriculture and maintin the town and villages of Tigray as green areas. Thus digging wells is not enough. The Tekezze River should be harnessed to get water in abudance.
TPLF leaders and their cadres have failed to make Aksum a world city. There is no 5-star hotel in Aksum.. Mekelle has no international airport as travellers have to transit in Addis Ababa. The aviation industry in Ethiopia is foccusing only in Addis Abab and surrounding (Bishoftu). TPLF has no intentions to make Mekelle a developed city with enough water and international hotels, which in turn would attract investors from all over the world. The city of Aksum should have also an international airport, with direct flights from major cities of the world. In their propoganda of lies, TPLF leaders want us to believe that Mekelle is a city of knowledge. This is far from the truth. There are only a couple of colleges, with poor quality. Tigray should have well equipped colleges and universities. The quality of education should be similar to those in the advanced nations of Europe and Asia as they will be our trade partners in the future.
We hope TPLF leaders and cadres would correct their policies and engage the people of Tigray in developing their economy, language and culture. It is still frustrating that Amharic is widely spoken in Mekelle and other towns of Tigray. This is counter productive and should be stopped. Tigray people need to make Tigrigna a developed language for communication with the people of Tigray and other Ethiopians. It is time for Ethiopians to learn Tigrigna to interact with the people of Tigray and with Bahre Negash so-called Eritrea.. Tigray should focus on expanding it's trade relations with Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and other Golf State countries. Tigray's relationship with Sudan is exemplary, but needs more work as our people would need to interact for trade and other purposes. Tigray should have also good trade relations with European and Asian countries. The youth of Tigray should learn major international languages. English should be the second official language of Tigray.. It is advantageous if there are schools for Arabic, Spanish, French and Chinese languages. Tigray should not wait until Addis Ababa wakes up from it's long slumber of corruption and grid.
Tigrigna should be one of the working languages in Ethiopia. Oromo, Somali languages should be also the working languages in Ethiopia. This means the constitution should be translated into Tigrigna. TV and Radio air time should be equally allocated to all offical languages. The dailies like "አዲስ ዘመን " should be available in Tigrigna. National Theatres in Ethiopia should produce works in Tigrigna. Films should be translated into Tigrigna. There should be equal budget allocation to all working languages in Ethiopia. Without a healthy and just federal government, it will be difficult to develop any meaningful economy in Tigray and other parts of Ethiopia.
____________________________________
The site of the industrial park in Tigray Province(Turkish Industry Holding)
Turkish company plans €3bn industrial park in Ethiopia’s Tigray
2 November 2018 | By GCR StaffManufacturing company Turkish Industry Holding is planning to invest €750m in the first phase of a major industrial park in Ethiopia’s Tigray province.
The company, which is made up of six groups specialising in granite, steel, construction, MDF, paper and ceramic, is planning to use the project to develop its own production facilities.Ozan Semerci, a board member of the developer, told GCR the plan was to develop the site in three stages.
He said: “There will be 15 different factories which will be completed in three phases lasting five or six years. The first phase, which will have a value of €750m, will be four factories making ceramic, granite, paper and prefabricated housing systems.
“We will lay the foundation in March or April after which we are planning to finalise the first phase within two years. When we complete the final phases it will add up to the €2.8bn or €3bn investment.”
Work on the 500ha facility is scheduled to begin spring next year in the town of Adi Gudem, which is in Hintalo district, in the northern Ethiopian province of Tigray.
According to East African website The Exchange, Kelelie Hagaze, administrator of the woreda, said his office was ready to provide the necessary support, including granting the land needed to build the park
