October 15, 2018 - The military controlled industrial enterprise named Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC) is going to be reorganized, according to FBC report.
METEC came under hot water recently for the delay it caused to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed himself singled it out as one responsible for the project delay. METEC later lost its contract for the GERD.
Many people also accuse the organzation of using its connection with Ethiopia's military to gain unfair competitive advantage as well as a back channel for corruption and mismanagement by people connected to the military.
METEC came into intense scrutiny soon after the late project manager of GERD, Simegnew Bekele, committed suicide. Some blamed the organization for causing undue stress on him, causing his death.
In addition to the pending reorganization, METEC will also change its name to National Metal Engineering Corporation, according to the report.
The Corporation was established by the Council of Ministers to advance Ethiopia’s industrialization drive.
However, it has been a target of blame for lack of capacity, wastefulness and delays of mega projects, including the GERD.
Billions of Ethiopian birr were wasted due to failure of the corporation to complete the projects as per scheduled, the government claims.
The organization is said to be changing to have the right structure, according Abdulaziz Mohammed, Commercial and Civil Products Operation Deputy Director at the Corporation.
Its manufacturing military equipment operation will be transferred to the Ministry of Defense. METEC will only manufacture civil and commercial products with a new name, the National Metal Engineering Corporation (NMEC), subject to approval by the Council of Ministers, he said.