The Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise () postponed the opening of the bid document for the procurement of 150 brand new heavy duty trucks in relation to the bid document adjustment on axle load.
Wondimu Denbu, deputy CEO of the Enterprise for Corporate Service, told Capital that the international bid was expected to be opened in the current week, while in connection with bidders who wanted further clarification about the bid document on the point of axle load the opening has been postponed for the third week of October.
He said that the enterprise has targeted removing some trucks that are not suitable for operation which it handles on the import export corridor mainly on the Djibouti outlet.
Due to that the state multimodal monopoly is looking to purchase 150 heavy duty trucks to improve its service and replace the old ones.
Currently ESLSE has about 440 trucks including the 215 trucks, from one of the popular brand Renault Trucks, a French automotive company. The Renault trucks are high quality, but the others are not in good condition, according to experts.
Besides the 215 Renault trucks that were purchased about four years ago the enterprise had a collection of 230 that came from different organizations when the enterprise formed under amalgamation of the historical Ethiopian Shipping Lines, the Dry Port Services Enterprise and the Maritime and Transit Services in 2012.
“The trucks are very old as per our current study 123 trucks will be removed during the current budget year. After one trip to Djibouti they have to go to maintenance, which is uneconomic for the enterprise,” Wondimu said.
He said that the current bid opening is postponed due that the enterprise took time to get clarification from Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) and Ministry of Transport, who are responsible for giving clarification for maximum axle load capacity for trucks in the country.
“We have mentioned the axle load capacity that is not in use in the country because bidders want clarification that we should approach the two government organizations for more clarification and provide the information to bidders,” the Deputy CEO explained. He said the bid will be opened on October 20.
Yoseph Tamiru, Pavement Management Team Leader at ERA, told Capital that ESLSE has been requested to import 4 axle load capacity truck that is not allowed in the country. This means they were looking to import the combination of 4 axle trucks, according to the expert at ERA.
He said that his authority explained the issue to ESLSE.
“In the current condition we allowed tri axle that means the combination of three axle and we have also told them that they can buy trucks designed based on the tri axle,” he explained.
Yoseph remembered that the agreement that Ethiopian signed under COMESA and other treaties the four axle truck is not allowed to be driven on the street.
He said that the crucial issue is putting axles on combination line. It might be seven or eight axle trucks shall import but the maximum combination of axle must not be more than three axles.
ESLSE planned to increase the axle and enable to load more tonnage since the weight disburse on every axles since the number of axles has increased.
Such kind of four axle trucks are not driven in the countries where they are made, according to Yoseph argued. Over loading is the challenge of road designed life, while ERA is doing its best to control axle load.
As per the country law the maximum axle load allowed is 58 tones, but mostly trucks in the country load 40 tones.
ESLSE is also leasing trucks from private transporters besides using its own. In the past budget year ESLSE, which is one of the mega public enterprises tabled on the latest privatization process on partial sales, has earned 1.7 billion birr.
Roba Megerssa, CEO of ESLSE, said that in the current budget year the enterprise has targeted to transport 7.5 million tons in commodities, which was 4.5 million tons in the past budget year.
Shipping Enterprise postpones truck purchase
USAID funds $2 mln for youth
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), earmarked two million USD for building the potential of youth activity in selected higher institutions partnering with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Save the Children.
A one-year initiative which is being implemented by Save the Children, partner and six selected universities: Bahir Dar, Hawassa, Jigjiga, Jimma, Mekelle and Semera to equip graduates with the skills necessary to pursue and land appropriate job opportunities.
“The initiative helps our country to have competitive graduates in the market in compliance with the 15-year education road map to ensure quality education and jobs,” said Hirut W.Mariayam, from the Ministry of Higher education and science.
The capacity building will focus on high-order thinking skills, positive self-concepts, self-control and social skills to strengthen graduates’ employability. The activity will facilitate learning exchanges between universities at the national level as well as cross (inter) institutional peer exchanges while also developing a digital platform to link employers with educational institutes.
The support will address some of the existing gaps between the skill sets of university students and the demands of the job market they will face after graduation.
The six partner universities will in turn, create partnerships with Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVET) in their geographic regions to address skills mismatches, improve graduates’ employability and create partnerships with the private sector and potential employers. Brandeis University from Massachusetts, USA will provide technical support during the implementation of this initiative in partnership with Save the Children.
“We believe investing in education is one of the best investments we can all make as this initiative will support Ethiopia’s Journey to self-reliance in line with the country’s education system reform,” said Sonjai Reynolds-Cooper, Director of USAID’s Education and Youth office.
Through this initiative, the partner universities and TVET colleges will be able to produce graduates with market relevant skills and experiences.
Inequality in Africa nears tipping point: Paper
Exacerbating inequality in Africa has become a crisis, reaching a “critical point” in the continent’s west, according to a paper presented at a seminar on inequality in Africa.
Organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in collaboration with Oxfam, the seminar was attended by UNECA officials, representatives of development agencies and academics.
Presenting the paper: “The West Africa Inequality Crisis”, Kwesi Obeng, Regional Program Advisor with West Africa Oxfam international said: “The wealthiest west Africans own more than anyone else in the region combined.”
According to the paper, inequality has been deepening in West Africa in spite of impressive economic growth over the past two years with six of the 10 fastest growing economies in Africa being in West Africa.
Nigeria, according to the paper, tops the list of the most unequal societies.
“In Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, the richest man earns about 150,000 times more from his wealth than the poorest 10% of Nigerians spend on average on their basic consumption in a year,” the paper said
It added: “It would cost about $24 billion a year to lift all Nigerians above the extreme poverty line of $1.90 a day. By comparison, the wealth of the five richest Nigerian men combined stands at $29.9 billion — more than the country’s entire budget in 2017.”
According to Obeng, most governments in West Africa were not giving enough attention to the issue, rather “choosing inequality crisis rather than addressing it.”
Speaking on the occasion, Adam Elhiraika, Director of Macroeconomics and Governance Division at UNECA said: “Inequality in Africa remains very high and a very serious problem.”
Inequality, he warned, “can create political and social instability in the continent.”
Africa, according to him, remains the poorest and second most unequal continent in the world after Latin America.
As part of a list of recommendations, Obeng said countries on the continent should “spend sufficiently on universal quality public services that reduce the gap between rich and poor and reduce gender disparities.”
He also called governments to redistribute from the rich to the poor through progressive taxation, rather than just levying taxes on consumption, which he said, would in most cases be tantamount to ‘punishing the poor’.
