4.1 Urban Economy and Role of the Town

The town serves as woreda administration, trade and agriculture center. There are two manufacturing

industries, wholesale trades, five service trades, four fuel stations and eight garages in the town.

Commercial bank, Nib bank, Wisdom bank and Omo micro-finance exist in the town.

The average annual revenue of the municipality within (2006/07-2008/09) was 26,709,918.52 Birr and the major sources of revenue were urban land lease, service charges and different taxes. The per capita revenue within the same period was 925.01 Birr. The major investment opportunities in the town are: oil factory, agro industry, standardized hotel.

According to CSA 2007, economic activity rate in the town was 95%. The rate of unemployment in the same period was 5%. Wolkite town has economic linkages with the surrounding areas, Addis Ababa and Hawassa. The town gets agricultural inputs, manufacturing and commercial products, and construction materials from Addis Ababa, and gets grain products, livestock supply, natural resources (fuel wood and charcoal), and labor from surrounding towns.

4.2 Social and Municipal Services

Social Services

Education

There are seven private and two government kindergartens; four government and five private

primary (1-8 grade) schools; one government senior secondary (9-10 grade) schools, one TVET and one

university; one government colleges.

Health

Regarding health services there are one government health post, and one government health center, one

government and seven private clinics and two ambulances that give service to emergency cases in the

town.                  

Municipal Services

Wolkite town has two public meeting halls, abattoir, a general market meeting twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, a cattle market and two daily markets. Solid waste is collected by a tractor and eight horse drown carts and disposed in authorized open dump site. One private and two micro enterprises are engaged in collection of solid waste. There are four public toilets in the town, and liquid waste is collected by rented vacuum trucks from Addis Ababa.

2% of the town is covered by green. There is a forest area covering 2ha around the palace and Wabe forest more than 50ha. There are two parks, Guest houses and lodge, one public library, town hall, three medium standard hotels in the town. Regarding religious services there are four churches for Orthodox Christians, twelve churches for Protestants and four mosques.