Former Tigray Administration Accused of Exploiting Civil Servants

Ato Assefa Abraha, Executive of the Tigray Interim Administration, stated that former leaders used civil servants and displaced persons as political bargaining chips. In a meeting in Mekelle, the administration exposed irregularities in the civil service structure, including illegal salary payments, inflated benefits, and payroll fraud. Assefa revealed that discrepancies between budget and payroll lists allowed for the collection of multiple salaries, and officials at the presidential level were allocated four vehicles, four houses, and 17 security guards. As government services resume on Monday, the administration plans to verify civil servant records and modernize the structure, which Assefa claims has been shaped by TPLF interests since 1988. Additionally, the administration announced plans to resolve the issue of displaced persons, who have been unable to return home for six years, within the next six months.