Ethiopia: Religious Leaders Confirm Wolkayit Sugar Project Has No Negative Impact On Waldeba Monastery
An Ethiopian Orthodox Priest Monk
30/3/2012
Gondar — Religious leaders in North Gondar Zone of Amhara State confirmed that the Wolkayit Sugar Development Project will have no negative impact on the Waldeba Monastery.
A public consultative forum was held in Gondar Town with a view to creating awareness on the baseless information being disseminated by anti-development forces concerning the project.
The religious leaders on the occasion said they have witnessed that the project will have no negative impact on the Monastery as it is 25km away from it.
One of the religious leaders Father Melaku Genet said he has first hand information from monks living in the monastery that the project has no harm to the monastery.
General Manager of the Patriarchate Office of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Tesfaye Wubshet on his part said representatives of the office stayed for 15 days in the area to gather information.
Tesfaye said, according to the information the representatives gathered during their stay in the area, the project has no negative impact on the monastery.
They also confirmed that anti-development forces are disseminating baseless information to hamper development in the area.
The representatives said that activities of the government to return property of the church, which was nationalized by the Derg Regime, indicates government’ s honor to the church.
Ethiopian Sugar Corporation Director-General Abay Tsehaye on his part said the government is undertaking sugar development projects in various regions to meet the growing local demand for sugar.
Abay said the Wolkayit Sugar Development Project is one of such projects being carried out with significant amount of budget.
Abay called on for concerted efforts to extricate the country from poverty leaving aside the fabricated information being disseminated by anti-development forces.
State Chief, Ayalew Gobeze on his part lauded the public in North Gondar Zone as they do not accept the fabricated information concerning the project.
Religious leaders, elders, patriots, urban residents executives at all levels, among others, took part in the forum.
