The Perks of May 28 and the Challenges Ahead
Bereket Gebru
Looking back on the last quarter of a century since EPRDF came to power, Ethiopians can see and live the tremendous achievements registered over that period. From the basics of peace and security to rapid economic development, there have been important milestones in life in Ethiopia.
The exponential growth of productivity in the agricultural sector within the specified time has equipped the country with a famine shield of an economy. Food self sufficiency has seen it’s brightest of days in the past decade. Subsistence farming is increasingly giving way to surplus farming as more and more farmers are gaining the economic clout to apply technological products and ensure increased surplus.
The availability of education at every doorstep throughout the country has also set human development and the economy’s demand for skilled manpower on a concrete foundation. The days when education used to be regarded as a privilege to have been long gone in courtesy of the May 28 victory. Ethiopia has nearly ensures that no kid is deprived of education no matter which corner of the country they are born.
That fulfillment of the right to education is complemented by the vast health service throughout the country. The time required to get a person in need of medical treatment to a health facility has been significantly slashed all over the country. Ethiopian mothers and children are nowadays much safer or less likely to die of health complications than they ever used to be. The life expectancy of Ethiopians has grown by a year for over a decade ensuring a longer life for Ethiopians.
The time it took for Ethiopians living in rural areas to get to tarmac roads or other types of all weather roads has been considerably slashed. Roads have become a feature of almost all rural kebeles – the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia. The provision of social services to these kebeles has become easier than ever along with the expansion of the roads. Urban centers have also seen the level of road networks African cities seldom enjoy.
Other infrastructural developments in telecommunications, electricity, water supply and housing have all been expanded to reach out to people in all regional administrations of the country. Connectivity is no more seasonal even in the most remote parts of the country. Access to social services has also been more just and inclusive over the last quarter of a century.
There is also an unprecedented level of self-administration in the regions as state power is delegated to local governments in the pronouncedly inclusive federal system. The equality of nations, nationalities and peoples has become a reality Ethiopians live under. There has also been increased political participation by the people over the last quarter of a century.
After having enjoyed all these perks, it is only rational that Ethiopians mark May 28 in a special way – after all it is the victory that laid the ground for all the good that followed. It is, therefore, worthwhile to commemorate those who have given their lives to the cause and be thankful of their sacrifices.
After having celebrated the May 28 victory over the Derge regime so colorfully, however, Ethiopians need to have a shared clear path on the set of activities needed to sustain and build on the achievements. The legacy of the struggle to topple the Derge has been so fruitful up until now but the challenge always appears more daunting in the unknown future. Ethiopians should, therefore, be more motivated and organized in their attempts to conquer the future.
With more of the problems that characterized the country until recently being tackled and the country gaining a more positive image in the international arena, motivation is in abundance for Ethiopians to push even further towards development. The grave challenges they have overcome are also constant reminders that the challenges they are going to face in their endeavors are just as concrete as they imagine them to be. Rising up in unison has proved to be a lasting remedy for these challenges. The experience they have gained in overcoming these challenges would also be crucial in ongoing and upcoming struggles.
One of the major challenges of sustaining the achievements so far has been rent seeking. As indicated in this year’s unrest in some parts of the country, the issue of good governance, rent seeking behavior and corruption can be a fatal affair that threatens our unity. Therefore, we need to stamp out rent seeking behavior in the times ahead to make service delivery more just and equitable.
As urban centers are areas of intense interaction between governmental and private institutions, they provide numerous loopholes that have the potential to nurture rent seeking behavior. The institutional reforms in our country that have changed the civil service for the better have certainly helped narrow down these loopholes. However, the temptation of rent seeking still proves to be too much for a considerable number of people as the problem is still chronic. Therefore, making the work procedures of rent seeking prone activities more transparent, less time consuming and less discretionary should be a major area of focus in the times ahead.
The other major point that could help sustain the achievements is improving the capacity of the government to mobilize the people. With very notable perceptions of corruption among the people, the credibility of governmental offices is set to suffer a blow. Therefore, there should be efforts to restore popular trust in government for the people to be motivated enough to participate sincerely in the implementation of the second growth and transformation plan.
A third point towards sustaining the achievements is the efficient and effective utilization of financial and material resources. The exploitation of the country’s natural resources along with a strong financial system also determines how the country performs economically in the times ahead.