Majority in Tigray Live Below Poverty Line: Bureau Head
The Ethiopian Herald (Addis Ababa)
July 13, 2005
Posted to the web July 13, 2005
WIC
Makalle
Over 75 per cent of the 4.2 million inhabitants of Tigray State are living below poverty line, the state Finance and Economic Development Bureau Head disclosed.
Speaking at the celebration of World Population Day marked under the theme" Gender Equality Benefits All" in Makalle town yesterday, Bureau Head Mekonnen Abreha stated that poverty in the state is getting worse due to the imbalance of population growth and economic development. According to the head, the average daily income of a person is 3 birr. The increasing birth rate is thus making it impossible even to cover the daily food expenses, he added.
Indicating that the annual population growth rate in the state is over 2.6 per cent, Mekonnen said the imbalance of the economic growth rate with the population growth would therefore result in a catastrophe.
The head also indicated that though it has been more than a decade since the Population Bureau of the state is established the activities carried out by the bureau in the spheres of family planning and birth control is not satisfactory.
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Hence, Mekonnen said the implementation of the poverty reduction policy and strategy with especial emphasis on engaging women in small-scale industries, health, rural development as well as education sectors is the only alternative to overcome the problems.
High government officials of the state, representatives of various governmental and non-governmental organizations in Makalle town, civic societies and invited guests attended the marking of the day organized by the State Population Bureau and the Makalle University.
Something is not adding. If population growth is 2.6%the economic growth shold be less than that for the situation to be catastrophic. We have been told Ethiopia was growing at 10%. Or is it the rest of Ethiopia is growing at the fictional 10% and Tigray is lagging behind? Dr. Ibrahim and Moron Ghost BUster may shed light on this numerical conendrum.
Gebreselassie cannot handle anything in double digit and thus he is exempted from the challenge. Sometimes being a moron helps. You are free G/s
This is ridiculous. What is the reason behind it of mentioning only Tigray’s poverty line? Isn’t there poverty all over Ethiopia? This sounds fishy to me.
We all know most of those multi million dollar companies are opened in Mekale benefiting the people of Tigray. How is it possible Tigray is at 75% poverty line? There must be something Meles and his buddies are trying to hide from the rest of Ethiopia and the world.
