ADDIS ABABA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian House People's Representatives on Thursday approved the appointment of new 16 cabinet members.
The Ethiopian parliament's lower house in its Thursday's session evaluated and endorsed the new 16 cabinet members as per the recommendation made by Ethiopia's new Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed.
Abiy Ahmed, who was unanimously endorsed by the Ethiopian House People's Representatives (HoPR) as Ethiopia's Prime Minister earlier this month, has reshuffled the East African country's cabinet members, the majority of whom were appointed by the HoPR as per the recommendation of former prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn in November 2016.
Accordingly, 10 new cabinet members have been appointed for various ministerial positions, while 6 others were reshuffled from one ministerial position to another. Some 13 of the ministers in the 29-member cabinet have remained in their previous positions.
The newly appointed cabinet members have on Thursday sworn in and, eventually took their respective ministerial positions.
Ahmed, while presenting his recommendations to the parliament's lower house, stressed that the major tasks for the newly appointed ministers should be the fight against corruption, strengthening accountability as well as reducing extravagant procedures.
The premier also indicated that one of the major reasons behind the cabinet members reshuffle was due to the persistent public dissatisfaction and anger with regard to maladministration and lack of accountability.
Among the reshuffled ministers include the former minister of defense, Siraj Fegessa, who has been appointed as minister of transport, while Motuma Mekasa, who was former minister of mine was assigned as minister of defense.
Ahmed Shide, former minister of transport, has been appointed as Minister of Government Communications Affairs Office; Shiferaw Shigute, as Minister of Agriculture and Livestock; Hirut Woldemariam, as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs; Teshome Toga, as Minister of Public Enterprises; and Umer Hussen, as Director General of Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority with the rank of Minister.
Uba Mohammed, has been also appointed as Minister of Communication and Information Technology; Ambachew Mekonnen, as Minister of Industry; Fozia Amin, as Minister of Culture and Tourism; Jantrar Abay, as Minister of Urban Development and Housing; Melese Alemu, as Minister of Mines and Energy; Berhanu Tsegaye, as Attorney General; Yalem Tsegaye, as Minister of Women and Children; Melaku Alebel, as Minister of Trade; and Amir Aman, as Minister of Health.
Renewed mass demonstrations triggered by ethnic clashes and anti-government rallies had forced the former prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn to resign from the premiership, eventually succeeded by Abiy Ahmed as Chairman of the ruling coalition Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and prime minister of the country.
According to Ahmed, the newly appointed ministers would bring about the expected changes to answer the preoccupation of the public.
