Following the humble settlement from Ethiopian Football Federation, the Referees and Match Officials Association withdrew from its three week strike so the Premier League fixtures will resume on Monday with the outstanding matches from week 17th and 18th.
Achieving the biggest ever triumph over the Ethiopian Football Federation including the insurance coverage, air transport, proper security of venues and a hundred thousand birr claim settlement for the assistant referee who was assaulted, the Referees and Match Officials Association lifted the suspension of the season fixtures so now it is business as usual as of Monday.
The suspended second half (45th minute) Welwalo-Adigrat versus Mekele Ketema match takes place on Monday. With the home side leading 1-0 at the time of the disruption, the visitors Mekele face strong defensive play from Tsegaye K/Mariam’s relegation threatened outfit. Yohannes Sahle is expected to come up with tactical genus in order to stay on course of a dream title.
Famous for an impressive home record 6th in the table Adama entertains ninth place visitors Wolyata Dicha while out of form Saint George faces old rival Ethio-Electric. Forth in the table The Horse Men and Coach Carlos Pinto are under pressure from supporters while The Power Houses 13th in the standings are struggling to run away from relegation zone.
When the remaining outstanding fixtures resumes on Friday, the anxiously awaited home side Mekele against visitors Saint George encounter takes place. A draw in the first round showdown in Addis Ababa, Mekele has every advantage to collect all three points in front of home supporters whereas Saint George needs an extra gear to stand up for the match. The other match on Friday brings bottom of the table Diredawa to a head on clash against visitors Wolayta Dicha.
Premier League resumes Monday with outstanding fixtures
Mathias Aklilu
Name: Mathias Aklilu
Education: Sociology and Social Anthropology
Company name: MA Hair
Title: Managing Director
Founded in: 2017
What it does: Importing human hair
HQ: Around Kera
Number of employees: 3
Startup Capital: 25,000 birr
Current capital: 50,000 birr
Reason for starting the business: The hair piece business is dominated by contraband traders, so I saw the market demand and started the business.
Biggest perk of ownership: There are almost no competitors in the market that are doing the business legitimately so that’s an advantage.
Biggest strength: We are dedicated to conducting business professionally
Biggest challenge: Foreign exchange
Plan: To expand to other markets
First career: Sales
Most interested in meeting: Sarcastic people
Most admired person: My Mom
Stress reducer: Music
Favorite past-time: The times that I spend volunteering
Favorite book: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson
Favorite destination: Diani Beach, Kenya
Favorite automobile: Audi
Tackling food loss and food waste
Some time ago I had a coffee and a fruit pie in a newly established cafeteria, while travelling abroad. It was near closing time and while I was sipping my coffee, the workers began cleaning up and took the cakes out of the cold display. I asked them what they were going to do with the cakes and the simple answer was: “We throw it away.” I asked why and the owner of the shop explained that this was because of health regulations. Especially cakes prepared with fresh cream are not allowed to be sold the next day. All has to be fresh. Later the same week I found out that this is also the case with all kinds of ready prepared sandwiches and snacks that are found nowadays in supermarkets. It made me wonder whether we are headed in the same direction with the rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles that we begin to see here in Ethiopia in general and more specifically Addis Abeba. In addition, we see that in Ethiopia, much food gets lost for other reasons. Two weeks ago, in this column, we saw that fruits and vegetables get damaged and unfit for consumption during their journey from the moment of harvest to the end consumer. Studies suggest that 40% or more of tomatoes, papayas and mangos for example, don’t make it to the consumer. For bananas this is about 20%. Worldwide, due to poor practices in harvesting, storage and transportation, as well as market and consumer wastage, it is estimated that 30–50% (or 1.2–2 billion tonnes) of all food produced never reaches a human stomach. As we saw above, the problems are different, depending on the development state of a country. In emerging economies like Ethiopia, wastage tends to occur primarily at the farmer-producer end of the supply chain. Inefficient harvesting, inadequate local transportation and poor infrastructure mean that produce is frequently handled inappropriately and stored under unsuitable farm site conditions.
In mature economies, more-efficient farming practices and better transport, storage and processing facilities ensure that a larger proportion of the food produced reaches markets and consumers. However, characteristics associated with modern consumer culture mean produce is often wasted through retail and customer behaviour.
The question that we need to find answers to is what we can do to minimise wastage of food in our own context? Authorities, agencies, organizations and producers, involved in one way or another in the production, processing and marketing of food in this country, need to seriously look into this and agree on a way to identify problems that lead to food waste in Ethiopia and design and implement measures for improvement. In my search for answers I came across an article by Reiner Jedermann, Mike Nicometo, Ismail Uysal and Walter Lang, titled “Reducing food losses by intelligent food logistics”.
They argue that food losses can be attributed to two main factors: (i) waste owing to oversupply and (ii) losses owing to the natural decay of food products, which cannot be stopped but are accelerated especially by lacking or poor temperature management or unhygienic conditions.
“Oversupply plays an important role in affluent economies, where people can afford to throw food away. Unnecessary losses of shelf life can also be found in any part of the chain, especially with regard to temperature management as farmers do not pre-cool after harvest, the actual temperature conditions during transport and storage often do not meet the optimal product-specific values; and customers keep fresh products for hours in the warm boot of their car or set the temperature of their fridge to achieve minimal power consumption, thus ignoring the recommended storage temperatures. The cold chain will become more important in the future owing to two factors given by Parfitt et al.: (1) as people’s income grows, they diversify their diet to less ‘dry’ starchy products, such as rice, potatoes and cereals, to more fresh fruits & vegetables, fish and meat, requiring chilled transportation and (2) whereas food is often sold the same day at local markets in rural societies, urbanization requires longer and more complex supply chains.”
What then can be done? In line with the priorities of the Government, programmes can be put in place that build capacity in engineering knowledge, design know-how, and suitable technology to help improve produce handling in the harvest and post-harvest stages of food production. Secondly, we can incorporate waste minimisation while planning and building transport infrastructure and storage facilities along the supply chains. Thirdly, the private sector is a main stakeholder to provide services along entire supply chains. Finally, where things go wrong now, there are great opportunities for Public Private Partnerships to provide solutions.
Where we are part of the problem, let us become part of the solutions instead.
Ton Haverkort
It’s time to be back
Andualem Arage was the Vice President and Press Secretary for Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJP) party. He has two children from his wife Dr. Selam Aschalew. He was serving a life sentence on terrorism charges and was imprisoned on September 14, 2011. It was his second time in prison. A couple of months ago he was pardoned by the government and set free from the prison in Kality.
He argues that the current political protests in the country will stop if discussions occur between the government and other stakeholders both here and abroad. Andualem sat down with Capital to talk about his future plan. Excerpts;
Capital: We hope you are having a good time with your family and friends after a prolonged imprisonment for over 6 and half years.
Andualem Arage: Yes I am having a good time after languishing for so long in solitary confinement for most of the duration of my imprisonment. The reception and recognition from the public is so gratifying and elating. I really feel humbled.
Capital: Do you think it is time for you to notify to the Ethiopian people about your future political involvement?
Andualem: I think it is time. I have been scanning the political environment for the past three months. I understand that I did not have much rest and enough time to reflect on things. However, I believe it is time for me to go back to politics. I cannot have respite by simply sitting during such a momentous time.
Capital: We are told that you are traveling to Europe this week in particularly to Germany and Holland, what is the purpose of your trip?
Andualem: As you know there is a large Ethiopian Diaspora community in the US and Europe. This community has been working day and night to get us released. The Ethiopian community in Frankfurt, the Ethiopian Forum Dialogue and Cooperation in Germany has extended its invitation to me as a guest of honor at its conference. Members of the Ethiopian Diaspora in different countries in Europe too have invited me to visit them. I believe it is time for us to thank the Diaspora for its unrelenting support and struggle and express my love and appreciation.
Capital: Bekele Gerba and Eskinder Nega are in the US currently, have you not been invented to the US with them?
Andualem: The Atlantic council had extended its invitation to me too, to discuss on policy issues with American policy makers in relation to Ethiopia. The respected Ethiopian Muslim leader Ahmedin Jebel and the young politician Yonatan Tesfaye were also invited. I was also planning to meet with the vibrant and the largest Ethiopian Diaspora community in the US, unfortunately all three of us were denied a visa.
Capital: What reason was given for the denial of the visa?
Andualem: I don’t clearly understand the reason why Ahmedin and Yonatan were denied but in relation to my specific case, when I was a high school student, back in 1995, I had applied for a visa and I was denied, the reason why I am once again denied is because it is in the file. I clearly understand the situation but I believe that what I have been through is a living testimony that I have serious agenda in this country and what kind of a person I am.
Capital: So that is it, no change of mind?
Andualem: Well, I am receiving many invitations from different bodies; I have recently been invited by Amnesty International in New York, in June to speak among few other respected speakers, like Anna Gomez. I am hoping this time the embassy will issue me a visa.
Capital: What is the focus of your speech?
Andualem: It will focus on the transition of democracy in Ethiopia and its relevance for the respect of human rights in Ethiopia. I am also excited to speak with the Ethiopia Diaspora about tolerance, peace and reconciliation and try to help bring the Diaspora together in way that helps bring positive change back home.
Capital: How long do you intend to stay?
Andualem: A maximum of five weeks. As you know the bulk of the job is in Ethiopia, so, I will have to come back as early as possible.
Capital: Do you have plans to stay in the US?
Andualem: Why do you think a man of my stature would plan to stay in the US? I have my sons and wife whom I love here, and as you know they have been paying a dear price in the absence of father figure in the house for 6 and half years and it is very tough to let them suffer by themselves any more unless taken back to prison forcibly as usual. Don’t forget my country Ethiopia, is here. I have unfinished business here, the cause of democracy, peace, reconciliation and brotherhood in Ethiopia, because these are my convictions that I cannot change for anything less. I was forced to pay an underserved sacrifice for perusing this cause. This is where I was born, where I struggle and where I die, I have everything that I need here, in my country.
Capital: So you don’t intend to apply for asylum?
Andualem: If I am desperate to apply for asylum, why don’t I apply in one of the European countries? My dream is to change things in Ethiopia so that Ethiopians come back to their country. So my answer to you is an absolute no. I don’t have the slightest intention to live out of Ethiopia.
