Ethiopia sets insignificant minimum wage, pension rise
Afrique en ligne, France - September 3, 2007
In response to public outcry against the rising inflationary pressure, the Ethiopian government has raised the minimum wage and pension for public servants, saying it has allocated 2.2 billion birr (approximately US$243.6 million) to be paid out in the current financial year.
A statement issued by Finance and Economic Development Minister Sufian Ahmed said the government's decision to increase the wages aimed at stabilising the sudden rise in the cost of living in Ethiopia.
Under what the government explains as a corrective measure to deal with the rising cost of living, the monthly minimum wage is now set at 320 birr compared to 235 birr in the past while the minimum pension has been upped from 100 birr to 160 birr per month. (US$1=9.03birr) ...