During his latest visit to Bonga, the capital of Keffa Zone in SNNP, the community expressed their concerns to the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that even though the area is very rich in natural resources the area’s potential is untapped and there should be more attention from the regional and federal government.
The Keffa community held a meeting with the PM on Sunday September 15 and said they have often asked the government to form a suitable administrational which is different from SNNP. They said that their request is directly related to the administration issue because the area is very far from the regional capital of Hawassa. “We travel for two days to Hawassa via Addis Ababa for any required administrational or legal cases. This is expensive and takes up a significant portion of the zone’s budget for transportation, per diem and related expenses,” they told PM Abiy.
Almost all of the community members raised similar claims saying that the area should use its resources to improve the community life there.
“We are the major source of several high priced spices like Aframomum and coffee, grains, pulses and livestock. However, because of lack of government attention we have been unable to tap our potential resources and reach the market,” Kassa Woldegiorgis, a Bonga resident, told Capital.
Many asked the PM to establish an agro processing industry in the area so they could add value to their agricultural products and the PM responded positively.
The community leaders asked the PM to form a region which includes Keffa and other zones surrounded or close to the Keffa zone. The PM said that a detailed study would be conducted and asked the community to discuss the issue and come up with concrete solutions.
