By Staff Reporter
ADDIS ABABA – (BORKENA) – The inflated cost of 9.8 billion birr paid for the purchase of an incomplete building for the expansion of Addis-Africa Conference and Exhibition Centre has become the talk of the town.
Addis Abebans are exchanging views on the exaggerated payment of public money by the City Administration for the under construction building located near the CMC Square. What astounded the city dwellers is not only the inflated amount of birr paid for the building but also the plot of land given to the owner of the same building as compensation.
Sources are expressing doubt whether this building located in the outskirts of the city costs such a huge amount of birr. They are heard saying that it is not fair to pay that amount of public money of birr 9.8 billion for a building under construction over a small area of land, which is situated far from the centre of the city.
Sources reminded that the City Administration started expansion work at the Exhibition Centre located adjacent to Mesqel Square. This was said to be a project the City Administration has been engaged in years back to build a multipurpose centre with an international standard. They argue that if the city administration has a plan to carry out such a mega project, the 9.8 billion birr paid for the single unfinished building should have been used for this very purpose.
Apart from the 9.8 billion birr payment, the people are talking about the 10,000 square metre plots of land given to an investor who is engaged in the importing business of alcoholic beverages. The investor who was ‘awarded’ a large area of land in the centre of the Capital fled the country during the recent war TPLF had with the Federal government. This renowned businessman, named Biniyam Birhane was given the large area of land in central Addis Ababa at a spot, in front of Ambassador Cinema where age-long villages were demolished in the name of river-side development.
City investors who were stunned by the inflated expense the City Administration is wantonly disbursing in the name of purchase, and the unfair distribution of plots of land, which were forcefully taken from residents, are reportedly asking the administration to do them a favour by paying them such amount of birr for their plots of land located around CMC.
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