Ethiopia's escalating inflation has become a major topic of concern and discussion among the public and the government. The cost of goods and services has dramatically gone up across all sectors. The price of food, clothing, transport, utilities, rent, educational and construction materials, etc has shot up. Sometimes an increase is witnessed even on a daily basis.

Although some sections of the public are managing to weather the effects of the rising inflation by adjusting their spending, most are unable to do so for various reasons.

This state of affairs begs one important question: What is the spiraling inflation attributable to? Is it caused by circumstances which are beyond our control or is it the result of collusion between "cartels" of different sorts?

Identifying which of these two is the reason behind the increasing cost of living is imperative if a solution is to be found. We are not arguing here that the price of goods and services should go down to the level they were some ten or twenty years ago. Various factors such as the country's burgeoning population and the hike in the price of oil and other vital inputs for production/service delivery are bound to result in a marked inflationary pressure. Given that the current rise in inflation is not a phenomenon unique to Ethiopia, its people are not saying that there should be no increase at all.

This said, however, there is a tendency to introduce price increment even in the absence of an upward shift in the price of oil, the cost of production or labor. This is subjecting the public to unwarranted hardship.

One of the underhanded practices that can be mentioned in this regard is hoarding goods bought for less in stores with a view to create an artificial shortage and consequently a price increase. The government has recently announced that it is closely monitoring the rise in inflation and those who are engaged in hoarding. This is a timely and appropriate measure. The public seeks a solution to the problem - it is facing and not just an appreciation of the problem.

The solution can have varied content and form. One of the solutions is to stabilize prices by closely monitoring and taking the necessary administrative and legal steps against those who drive up prices out of greed. The government and the public need to demonstrate to them clearly that they will not have pity on them. They should be taught that they cannot punish the public; it is the public which punishes them.

When it comes to price increases which are beyond our control (such as that of oil), it is possible to counter the effect of the rise by optimizing consumption. This needs to be done both by the public and the government.

If the good whose price has increased is not essential, it would be wise to cut back consumption. If, however, the good is critical and its use cannot be reduced, then it is imperative to explore alternatives to increase income. Cutting back the consumption of non-essential goods is also helpful in this regard.

Raising income levels is primarily targeted at improving living conditions and failing that to arrest a slide into a situation where it becomes more difficult to survive and lead a normal life. A practical example, for instance, would be to raise transport capacity, if possible, and, if not, to maintain the existing capacity.

Income levels can be raised by creating additional areas of work and adjusting, in as much as it is possible, the amount of income sources like salary.

Governmental and non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society organizations should all attach particular importance to human resource development. Machineries or equipment we may have are meaningless and valueless on their own. Developing human resource is inextricably tied to leading a healthy and productive lifestyle. If the level of inflation is so high as to make it difficult to maintain a reasonable standard of living, it is inevitable that the desire or willingness to work and productivity will plummet.

It is not the responsibility of the government alone to curb inflation, a phenomenon which is occurring the world over. The public should also shoulder its responsibility in achieving this goal. The same is true for the private sector.

The increase in inflation is knocking at the door of each and every citizen and affecting the country as a whole. We can no longer afford to ignore it. Hence, all of us must exert concerted efforts to determine its causes and come up with solutions with a view to extricate ourselves from the problem we find ourselves in.