Tigrai Online person of the year 2015 is Engineer Simegnew Bekele

Tigrai Online, January 2, 2016

Since 2006 Tigrai Online and its readers has been choosing one exceptional person who has amazing contribution to the greater good of Ethiopia and its people.

We know there are many people who are doing phenomenal work to eradicate poverty and spread justice, democracy and prosperity in Ethiopia, but we wanted to highlight those who sacrifice their personal comfort to help their people.

In ours and many of TOL reader’s opinion Engineer Simegnew Bekele is one of those unique Ethiopians who deserve this recognition for dedication to Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

Engineer Simegnew Bekele is the Project Manager of The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam – GERD. Since the start of contraction in Guba district, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional state of Ethiopia, Engineer Simegnew Bekele was right there.

Guba is extremely hot, mosquito infested lowland area of Ethiopia.  Managing such a gigantic mega project with almost 10 thousand employees and thousands of heavy equipment is not an easy task. The historical dam is now about 55% completed and it is expected to start power generation next year.

Working in a mega dam is that a big deal as long as you get paid for your job, but working in a historical project in the GERED magnitude and mired in such controversy is extraordinary.

With his education, experience and set of skills, Engineer Simegnew Bekele could have been making six figure salary in one of the western countries like USA. If he was so selfish like most of us he could have been living luxurious life outside of Ethiopia, but he happens to be one of the few selfless Ethiopians with big vision for their country and he decided to work in the GERD project which would change Ethiopia as we know it.

We have asked our social media followers in Facebook and Tweeter who would like to see as a person of the year 2015 and most of them agreed with our choice.  Some of the people nominated were PM Haliemariam, Dr. Debretsion, Dr. Arkebe, the Ethiopian Army, Abraha Desta, PM Meles, Dr. Adhanom, Dr. Berhanu Nega, Zemedeneh Negatu and Mola Asgedom.

We are confident most of you will be happy with our choice. We would like to take this opportunity to thank , Engineer Simegnew Bekele for his service to Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

We have Ethiopians like Dr. Berhanu Nega who are good for nothing and we have people like Engineer Simegnew Bekele do your own evaluation and give credit when credit is due.

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