The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration announced that inflation has been reduced to 13.6 percent through efforts undertaken to stabilize the cost of living and ensure citizen benefit.
Dr. Abdulhakim Mulu, State Minister of Trade and Regional Integration, disclosed that the government's implementation capacity in all sectors has shown growth in the first nine months of the 2017 fiscal year.
The Ministry also stated that in the nine months of the fiscal year, 5.3 billion US dollars in revenue was obtained from exports, highlighting that the performance is significantly high compared to the same period last year and the plan.
Accordingly, the government is undertaking activities that ensure citizen benefit by resisting international pressures, he stated.
The State Minister said that the government has worked extensively to ensure citizen benefit and alleviate the cost of living pressures, and tangible results have been recorded in this regard.
Dr. Abdulhakim stated that through significant efforts to stabilize the cost of living, which has been challenging citizens in Ethiopia, inflation has been brought down to 13.6 percent, noting that this is very low compared to 29 percent last year.
Further more, he explained that inflation was reduced by increasing agricultural mechanization and cluster farming productivity, improving work culture, designing various development initiatives, and facilitating supply.
Dr. Abdulhakim stated that inflation was controlled by taking administrative and legal measures against individuals and organizations engaged in illegal trade and contraband, according to ENA.
In connection with this, the minster added that administrative and legal measures have also been taken against 512 gas stations that were operating illegally in the past nine months.