DireTube #Merjea - A large-scale government campaign promoting an end to youth unemployment is very visibly underway in Addis Ababa. Wazema radio program provides data of about 200,000 unemployed youth and these are the primary target of this campaign.
The same Wazema radio program reports loud Montarbo speakers from the back of government owned pickups with slogans like "The future belongs to the youth", and "We will create young investors." The radio program reports onlookers converging near Kirkos shopping center to youth beating drums and asking young people to register for jobs at their local youth centers. A house to house registration of youth above the age of 18 who have no history of employment alongside deejay music was also reported.
In Tiret Sefer around the Piazza area, a banner reading 'Yemisrach' (congratulatory Amharic term) encourages youth to sign up for jobs. The job scheme is on a wide scale and each group of 5 youngsters who apply for financing and fulfill some simple criteria is poised to receive a start-up loan without collateral. Some critics of this youth empowerment plan think it takes more than a huge influx of money to create jobs such as business skills and motivation.
This report cites government announcements of Oromyia zone's youth fund being Birr 7 billion, Amhara zone's fund is 3 billion, and 2 billion in Tigray. Many see this as a response to the unprecedented popular upheaval of that took place last year after which a huge revolving fund for youth was announced. A recent government policy ordered its various human resources to hire youth instead of experienced personnel so that they can learn the necessary skills on the job.
Many see this as a response to the unprecedented popular upheaval of that took place last year after which a huge revolving fund for youth was announced. A recent government policy ordered its various human resources to hire youth instead of experienced personnel so that they can learn the necessary skills on the job.
Detractors of this program say it is an ineffective policy for fighting youth unemployment. A previous development research staff member in a government institution is quoted in this Diretube #Mereja report as likening this policy to the response of certain Arab spring countries. He feels the government is setting a trip wire for itself an effort to buy time, and deflate the recent widespread opposition that it encountered.
In another development parking rates on various Addis Ababa streets are set to be doubled in an effort to increase income for parking collectors and further alleviate the youth unemployment problem.