Breaking: PM Abiy Ahmed tells his cabinet the government is investigating foreign bank accounts held by senior officials

Addis Standard staffs

Addis Abeba, May 15/2015 – In a meeting with senior government officials including members of his cabinet, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the government was investigating foreign bank accounts held by senior government officials, a source who attended the meeting told Addis Standard.

During the meeting held in his office today, the Prime Minister also criticized what our source said was “the spoon feeding culture” among members of his cabinet and senior government officials, who the PM blamed were “not forthcoming with sound policy ideas” and are “lacking the culture of creativity.”

The meeting, reported by state affiliated and state owned media houses who were allowed inside as a “half day discussion with high level government officials including Ministers on how to deliver the results and respond public demands,” was held inside the PM’s office.

According to our source, who wants to remain anonymous, the prime minister told attendees that foreign countries where bank accounts held by senior government officials are cooperating with his government in its investigations.  The Prime Minister also decided to move the weekly cabinet meetings from Friday to Saturday in order not waste working days by meetings.

Earlier today, the PM’s office released a statement containing names of five party veterans who have been discharged from their duties on retirement.  The list include TPLF stalwart Sebehat Nega, who was the head of Foreign Relations Strategic Research Institute. Others include, Belete Taffere, head of the Integrated Land Management, Planning and Policy Project bureau, Kassu Ilala (PhD) and Mekonnen Manyazewal, both from Policy Research Institute, and Tadesse Haile of the Trade and Industry Policy Planning and Execution bureau, who was best known as the longest serving state minister at the ministry of trade and industry.

Yesterday, another letter signed by the Prime Minister announced the replacement of Zeray Asgedom, Director General of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority, by Solomon Tesfaye, who has served the authority under the capacity of a deputy, among others. AS