The private Amin General Hospital, has inaugurated its new modern general hospital building in Addis Ababa on July 7, 2019.
The new hospital cost 200 million birr and is located in Lideta sub city around the area commonly known as Coca Cola. It features modern technological equipment.
Amin General Hospital was established in March, 2012 G.C. Their goal is to provide modern, up to date and affordable health care services within the frame work of the national health policy.
Amin was inaugurated in the presence of high government officials, federal and the city health officials, well known personalities, medical directors of other hospitals and distinguished guests.
Taking Care
About 40% of Ethiopian tobacco market is illegal
Japan Tobacco International explained at the Economist’s Illicit Trade Summit held a week ago in Addis at Hyatt Regency Hotel that 40 percent of the tobacco sold in Ethiopia is illegal.
As the trade in illegal cigarettes has mushroomed in recent years with sophisticated distribution networks across all the provinces of Ethiopia, the sales of legal, regulated and taxed cigarettes have dropped continuously.
Fady Rahme, Corporate Development Vice President for Middle East, Africa and World Wide Duty Free for Japan Tobacco International explained that illegal trade in tobacco products has a negative impact.
“It is an enormous problem of a global scope, in Ethiopia, 40% of the total tobacco market is illegal. Not only does illegal tobacco rob the government of tax revenues, it is also linked to much larger organized crimes such as corruption, the trafficking of weapons, narcotics and people, and terrorists,” he said.
“Illegal trade can only be curbed if governments and industry work together. Tobacco control and fiscal measures should be proportionate so they do not undermine the fight against illegal tobacco.’’
Debele Kebat, Commissioner of the Ethiopian Customs Commission said “the large part of the Ethiopian border encompasses extensive lowland areas which cannot be controlled by customs and the Federal Police. As a result, smugglers can easily access and cross the border with a substantial amount of smuggled goods. Millions of birr worth illegal goods enter and leave the country annually via our borders.’’
“So all stakeholders such as law enforcement bodies and regional organizations, international organizations should help us to combat illicit tobacco trading,’’ he added.
Over the past five years, the annual turnover of the NTE has continually increased by an average of 190 million birr. It offers five brands: Nyala, Gissila, Elleni, Delight and Nyala Premium. The company currently employs close to 1,000 workers.
About 10 percent of the global tobacco market involves illicit trade. The reality, though, is that illicit tobacco trade occurs even more in countries where tobacco prices are low compared to those where prices are high. Experts argue tobacco smuggling is not so much due to high cigarette taxes and prices as it is due to the existence of organized criminals, poor control of smuggling, weak enforcement of anti-smuggling laws, and corruption.
City investigates 70,000 business licenses
Around 70,000 business licenses are being investigated throughout Addis Ababa by the City’s Trade Bureau. The month long investigation has focused on service providers, manufacturing companies, drug stores, restaurants, retail shops, importers and exporters. In two weeks a report will be filed with the results of the investigation. Ten Investigators looked at documents, competency, certificates and the type of business.
“Some companies introduce seductive offers, promising high earnings and get rich quick schemes. These claims are backed by forged documents and license certificates. People using these methods will have their licenses revoked. Government workers behind allowing illegal business will also be punished,” Kasshaun Beyene, who directs trade relations, said.
In many cases, these companies are fictitious entities, Kasshaun said, carrying out financial fraud, and reaching clients through telephone calls, text messages, e-mails, and social media.
“Our main goal is not to stop businesses, it is to let them operate legally. We have over 230,000 businesses operating in the city. We are looking at this sample size to determine the amount of fraud and to see if we need to add more investigators and open more cases. Businesses must have a trade license from the bureau to be legitimate.”
The 686/2014 proclamation requires businesses to re-register every year, within the first four months of the fiscal year, which begins on July 7. Failure to do so will lead to the expiration of the registration certificate.
However, businesses can renew their licenses all year long, albeit with penalties and the suspension of the license, after the first four months. The first two months after the deadline, businesses do not pay fines for renewals, although their licenses are suspended until they reregister. In the third month, there is fine of 2,500 Birr and 1,500 Birr for each subsequent month, until the end of the fiscal year. After this licenses are canceled.
Business license renewal, on the other hand, requires tax clearance and quality certification from the appropriate authority. Moreover, licenses cannot be renewed without a valid business registration certificate.
Utilities can be paid at Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) plans to takeover utility fee collections for the government.
The Ministry of Innovation & Technology (MoIT) is to terminate their deal with Kifiya that has been delivering a one stop electronic billing system since 2010 for government services such as payment of electricity, water, telecom bills and traffic fines, and expected to end in July. Therefore, CBE plans to take over collection.
CBE has already secured a deal to collect the Ethiopian Electric Utility billing.
Last month, Bacha Gini, President of CBE and the manager of Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority also signed an agreement to collect water bills for its 550 thousand customers through any of the CBE transaction mechanisms.
A latest deal was also made at the beginning of this week where CBE signed an agreement with the Addis Ababa Traffic Management Agency to collect traffic fines through the bank’s modern digital channel.
Tesfaye Alemnew Communication Director of MOIT said ”nowadays there are a number of options to pay through technology.”
He added that Kifya is not efficient enough to address the increasing number of the customers where long lines were observed.
“CBE’s digitalized payment system reduces cash flow risks and modernizes its service delivery system to the customers in the country,” said Dereji Fufa, Banking sector vice president of CBE.
CBE has also started to collect payment of federal document authentication and registration through its product called CBE birr, in a bid towards creating a cashless society and creating convenience for customers.
CBE is delivering service for Ethio-telecom customers who have a CBE account to pay their bills in addition to other alternative that it introduced.
As of last year, the state bank reported 565.5 billion birr in assets and over half a trillion birr in deposits.
