The Ethiopian Ministry of Urban Development & Construction (MoUDC) is to launch a new housing program for individuals working in wholly or partially owned government corporations, Fortune reported.

The latest housing program is on top of the eight housing programs already underway. The program is scheduled to be launched on September 26, 2013.

The new housing program requires each wholly or partially owned government corporations to pay up front the full cost of its employees’ houses. The corporations will then require reimbursement  from their employees.

Employees of such organization will have the option of either paying in cash or working a predetermined number of years at the corporations to pay back the cost of the housing program.

“A directive to implement this housing programme is being prepared. It includes payment procedures and terms of agreement between the organization and its employees,” Mekuria Haile, minister of the MoUDC explained, at a press briefing on Saturday, August 17, 2013.

According to the 2012 Urban Employment Unemployment Survey of the Central Statistics Agency, 39 percent of urban employees work for wholly or partially owned government corporations.

Source: Fortune