Over 1.4 Urban Citizens Secured Job Opportunities: Agency

Addis Ababa April 30/2018 More than 1.4 million urban citizens have secured job opportunities over the last 9 months of this fiscal year, the Federal Urban Job Creation and Food Security Agency announced. Briefing the media, Public Relation Head of the Agency, Asefa Ferede said over 759,000 citizens have secured job opportunities from small manufacturing, construction, trade, urban farming, and service sectors. “More than 475,000 people have got job opportunities from the country’s mega projects while over 210,000 jobs were created from the food security program,” he added. According to Asefa, university and TEVT graduates, migrants returnees and people with disability are among the beneficiaries of the job opportunities. He pointed out that close to 21,000 urban enterprises have accessed over 2.6 billion birr loan from the 10 billion revolving fund allocated for youth job opportunity. Moreover, two-third of the enterprises have secured over 10.9 billion birr market link in the last 9 months and over 103,000 enterprises have transformed from their level status to the next echelon, he mentioned. The urban food security program, which is implementing in seven towns including Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Adama, Dessie and Drie Dawa, has also benefited more than 210,000 people. In another development the Second National Model Micro and Small enterprises Exhibition bazaar will open in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, according to the Agency. More than 200 model enterprises across the country are expected to partake at the exhibition and bazaar, which aims to create 4.2 billion birr market linkage.