Commission Set up Bill to Monitor, Administer Mega Projects

Addis Ababa November 13/2018 Planning and Development Commission is preparing a draft bill to analytically monitor and administer mega projects across the country. The bill will create a system that can clearly set the operation and planning cycle for mega projects to be publicized. Moreover, a guideline that verifies to oversee and manage mega projects will also be prepared. Developmental Projects Director in the Commission, Bereket Tesfatsion, told ENA that preparing monitoring and administration bill for mega projects is one of the major activities set in the first 100 days plan submitted by the Commission. He said that the completion of some mega projects  have been delayed  partly because of lack of a comprehensive plan which would enable the government to streamline the operation modalities and verified outcomes in the management and administration of the projects. “We don’t have clear structure that determines the power, duties and responsibilities of people engaged in managing our mega projects, even the process of the construction of the projects are not clear for the public”, he said.   However, the implementation of the bill is crucial on clearly setting and seminal the duties and responsibilities of those engaged in the management of the projects.   He also said that the bill is expected to create accountability among managers engaging in the entire operation and management of the projects.   In this manner, the bill will have six guidelines and tools that will help to manage the construction and implementation of mega projects that are under-construction and those to be constructed in the future.   “The bill will have six guidelines including  identifying best location for the  projects, preparing a plan of pre-construction activities, pre-evaluating the implementation of the projects, mid-term evaluation of the construction of projects, and final evaluation and follow up on the implementation of the projects after completion,” he said. According to him the guideline and the bill will give additional capacity for the government to accomplish several mega projects in the planned time frame. “We believed that it will have great role on implementation of our mega projects, especially for our new projects, that is why we are readily working to be approved the bill in the House of People’s Representative in the coming 100 days,”, Bereket said. He indicated that the Commission will conduct several consultative meetings with stakeholders in the next 100 days. In response to inquiries from members of the House of Peoples’ Representatives on set of plans for this fiscal year, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that Ethiopia wouldn’t embark on new mega projects as the completion of ongoing projects needs huge finance.