The Ethiopian Telphone Corporation is one major obstacle for the economic develpoment of the Nation. It is full of corrupt individuals, some of whom are under criminal investigation for corruption. It is unimaginable for Ethiopia to expect efficient delivery of service from a State monopoly. Ethiopia will have to privatize this Elephant. If the Govt fears foreign ownership, it has to take a step by step measure. One way to that is to partially privatize the functions of this agency. it can sell stock to the masses and get billions of birr for the cash strapped Treasury. This will allow average Ethiopians to have a stake in this booming enterprise. Not only will they see their investments ( shares) grow in value but also get dividends from such lucrative endeavour. Publicly accounatble transaprent corporation will create enormous wealth for the Masses while expanding at a rapid pace to satisfy the ever growing demand in such a vital sector of the economy. It is impossible to avoid corruption in such a vast enterpise. There just are too many holes in the pipeline, be it in procurment or otherwise.

Speaking about selling shares to the public, the Government has to follow suit in selling stock of other numerous unprofitable state owned corporations. There is now way to police those in charge of dispensing billions of birr worth of enterpise while getting meager( proportionally speaking) compensation. The sale of stocks of these corporations to the public will lay a solid foundation for a stock exchange. If The Nation is ready for a Commodity Exchange which will only increase speculative endeavours, I think it should lay the corner stone for a stock exchange. The Phone Company will have to be the first on the chopping list and to be traded on the stock exchange. No Nation has attained sustainable economic growth without a regulated, transparent stock exchange.