HOUSE OF THE FEDERATION

While presenting the 2006/7 mid term performance report and 2007/8 annual plan to the House, the speaker of the House of Federation, honorable Degefe Bula, said that the House had carried out various activities gearing towards enhancing its institutional capacity. Among these, he mentioned that capacity building of the members, preparing a fair budget subsidy division formula which enables citizens to benefit equaly from, government allotted resources, consolidating democratic unity among the peoples are some of the prominent deeds accomplished during the reported period.

The Speaker further expressed that the Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Day, first ever held on December 8, 2006 is the most memorable event done during the stated fiscal year. He said that this historic event had also been colorfully celebrated in twenty countries abroad creating good opportunity to bring various Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopian Diaspora and foreign citizens of Ethiopia origin to one platform.

Honorable Degefe added that introducing the good images of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia is not a one day task and the responsibility of one institution. Therefore, he said the House had organized a one day workshop aimed at increasing the awareness of media experts, artists as well as linguists so that they would be able to contribute great deal in creating the positive images of Ethiopian Nations, Nationalities and Peoples within the upcoming millennium.

On his report, the Honorable Speaker indicated that there are three agendas presented for discussion and endorsement. With regard to the budget subsidy division formula, he noted that it is not a task to be done only once and implemented fully, rather it should always be progressive by incorporating new ideas. By doing this, he said our country is found on the stage of transferring from an assumption to a fair and reasonable budget subsidy division formula which is a pillar to enhance the development of our country thereby create favorable conciliations to Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia to live in tolerance and mutual benefit.

At this particular agenda, the budget subsidy and revenue affairs standing committee members and experts said later on that the new budget subsidy division formula takes into account the amount of expenditure and revenues of state governments, among others. They further expressed that the formula would enable equitable distribution of financial resources as well.

Committee chairperson Ayalew Gobezie on his part said that the budget subsidy to be allotted in percent is expected to bring about change either decreasing or increasing as compared to the previous one. He said that the decreasing change may have negative influence on some Regional States. Therefore, the new subsidy division formula will not be fully implemented at once. It will be effectuated partially; in phases starting from 2007/8 fiscal year for 4 consecutive years. That means the implementation percentage of the previous budget subsidy system and the new one will be (75% and 25%), (50% and 25%) , (50% and 50%), (25% and 75% respectively; and after that the new one will be fully functional.

The other point incorporated in the report was the question of representation of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples in the House of Federation. On this point the Honorable Speaker said that one of the duties and responsibilities of the House is consolidating and strengthening unity based on mutual understanding. To realize this, he added that each Nation, Nationality and People has a constitutional right to get at least one representation in the House of Federation. However, he said the Nations, Nationalities and Peoples who got representation so far in the House of Federation are only 67 in number. In this regard, he added that experts of the office have undertaken a study in collaboration with Regional Councils and a considerable number of Nations, nationalities and Peoples are expected to be accounted.

Honorable Degefe has called up on various federal executive bodies and institutions to provided, as deemed necessary, explanations to the House of Federation so as to ensure the existence of balanced development in the country with the spirit of the constitution and said that ministry of Education should play an exemplary role in this regard.

On the report he presented to the House, Minister of Education Dr. Sintayehu Wolde-Michael said that primary education coverage will be hundred percent in the year 2000 E.C. The minister further said that there is encouraging education coverage in all Nations, Nationalities and Peoples except the Afar and Somali states. He said that special strategies which enable these two states to accelerate their education coverage have been designed and would be operational as of the coming academic year.

After the thorough debate on the procedural and code of Ethics document, on the question of representation of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples in the House of Federation as well as on the new budget subsidy division formula, the House has unanimously endorsed these agendas.