The 13th Month Vs civil servants of Ethiopia

WORKU BELACHEW

Once a friend told me this story. A foreign visitor from the western world came to enjoy the country nick named '13 months of sunshine'' which is originated by the father of Ethiopian tourism Habteselassie Tafese. She had fitted her wearing style for a warm weather condition hoping a hot sunshine all the year round. But, the rainy season of the nation in the late august received her with a severe cold hands, squarely opposite to what she had expected.

“So what you call 13 months of sunshine is utterly fake” she told to an Ethiopian friend who accompanied her during the visit.

“No..no... wait I will prove it to you,” he responded.

“Prove it?...are you gonna scatter the clouds and stop the rain from showering?” she mocked at him.

The second day they went to Sodore resort- a place in the rift valley which combines natural hot spring, swimming, bath and other, as they scheduled. This time her wearing style 'fitted' to the weather, she put on scarf, furry mittens, and thick woolen clothes. But, after a little minutes of drive via Akaki, west of Addis, she felt the warmth and forced to take her scarf off, then her mittens. By the time they arrived at Adama, she was almost naked. “really I give in” she yielded at last.

There are many distinctive features that makes Ethiopia different from other African countries-even from the rest of the world. Its calender and time calculation, for instance. Unlike most countries in the world Ethiopia has twelve months with exactly equal 30 days for each month and intercalary month at the end of the year- 5 or 6 days depending whether the year is a leap or not. And time is calculated based on sunrise and sunset. As most tourists says, (Particularly works for ladies) “if you want to be younger by eight years visit Ethiopia” this is because Ethiopia's calender is eight years behind Gregorian calender.

Uniqueness- burden for civil servants!

The additive days, however, are not welcomed by most proletariat section particularly the civil servants recently. Emama Alitash was a renowned city farmer owning more than ten cows around Gofa Sefer, a place north west of Addis. She used to lead her livelihood selling milk on contractual base that is paid monthly- locally called Yewotet kirai “the 13th month is just a blessing. It is the unwavering gift of God,”She says. Residents also remember as she never costed her customers the fee for the additive days. “when God give you this blessings, you need to be generous and I did not cost my milk customers even a penny on the five or six extra days of the year. Besides, most civil servants has no payment for these days and I also considered that,” she added.

But now this tradition has been changed. Even some people who rent houses has started to cost their tenants. Alas!

The days locally called Pagume look like as they are out of the fiscal year in most organizations, particularly government ones. Most organizational plans are designed for twelve months. To my knowledge, this additive days are considered as part of; either its preceding month August or the succeeding month September for reporting purpose and in some cases they are totally ignored. In fact, no one dare say that the value of time has got its right consideration here. Late alone in our long term plans, our immediate appointments are scheduled simply for unspecified time like in the afternoon or in the morning, no one knows which particular time we are referring, one can hardly find street clocks in the capital as well. And it might not surprise anyone if the works done in these days are either ignored or ..... Whatever it is, workers have inevitable expenses in these days like transportation, meals and the likes plus bills like electricity, pipe water, telephone are not compromised. On top of that, some owners of houses have started charging tenants house rent calculation for the five or six days. There are many costs that can not be compromised. Be this as it may, workers are in production and the institutions are getting revenues while their employees do not get a penny to compensate their labor for almost forty hours and above.

Akalu Habtamu is an employee in one of the government agencies found in Addis. “The new year's first month, Meskerem, is so challenging for civil servants like me” he says. “this is because we get our monthly salary on late August, but we receive nothing for the extra five and six days we work in the 13th month. I do not know why no one has considered them until now. Imagine I am contributing what is expected from me for the agency in these days. There are additional values that the agency secures, we give the regular service for customers but we get nothing. On top of that we have a tolling expenses like two major holidays ahead of us, school fees for our children... for this reason many of us are not comfortable in the first month of the year-Meskerem. Look, I will earn my next salary in more than 39 pressing days,” he added.

Most, if not all, government institutions never make up for services and products that employees have swept and provided for their institutions. In fact, there are also some government development enterprises that excite the hearts of their employees under the payments which they call it 'bonus!' or the likes of it.

Though the FDRE ministry of civil service has not yet acknowledged it publicly, most civil servants have been dedicating themselves for their country through working without payment during the extra days. I wish the world civil service day could be celebrated consecutively in these days at national level- because it will be more meaningful.

Indeed, Ethiopia has handfuls of uniqueness from the rest of the world and maintaining them, undoubtedly, is of important. But, such messes would rather be upsetting for some section of the society. Therefore, pertinent bodies need to see into a possible solutions. The cost of life is a sky shot these days and working without payment for 5th or 6th of the month would be another huge burden.