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Ethiopia released the Interim Report on Poverty for 2010-11 last week. The Household Income Consumption and Expenditure Survey for 2010-11 showed that the poverty head count in Ethiopia is 29.6%

The proportion of poor people as established by this survey showed a significant decline from 2004-05 when the index was 38.7%.

Poverty rate has decreased in both rural and urban areas, with a more marked decline in urban areas according to the data analysis.

The Investment Agency in Ethiopia is investigating the operations of Alliance Media to evaluated if it operating as per its license.

The agency is assessing if the South African company is manufacturing billboard panels as per its license said Tewodros Tamiru, Director of the Legal Directorate with the EIA.

Allegations have been rife that Alliance is engaged in advertising activities by renting the panels it has erected across the city for advertisement purposes, a sector reserved for Ethiopian nationals.

The tax authority in Ethiopia, expects to generate increased revenue in the coming years in spite of challenges said Tedla Mitiku,Tax Payers Education Team Coordinator with the authority.

Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority faced challenges including illegal trade, contraband and lack of awareness amongst the tax payers, he said.

ERCA is working with a range of bodies to lower the incidence of tax fraud and illegal trade practices to set in place a viable tax system according to Tedla.

The Addis Ababa, Ethiopia City Bus Services Enterprise (Anbessa) launched one birr trips during peak hours as of last week.

The one birr trips will be operational from 6-9 am in the mornings and 4-9pm in the evenings. The enterprise has introduced a trial run on a range of route numbers including of 4, 22, 28, 36, 37, 49, 54, 59, 77 and 93.

As per the new arrangement, for example, the number four buses travelling between Kaliti and Merkato will finish their journey at the Saris bus stop at peak hours to shorten the time passengers from Kaliti have to wait between buses explained Bekele Getaneh, Head of the Communications Affairs Sub Process with Anbessa.