On the main highway of the 526Km Addis Abeba-Harar Road is a small spot between Asbe Teferi and Hirna called Arberekati, located 336Km east of the capital. Three companies – the Chinese CRBC, the Greek Dragados and the South Korean Kingnam – have taken part in the construction of the road that cost the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) over 1.2 billion Br. It took nine years to be completed, with the three contractors awarded the various segments at different times.

On both sides of the road all the way to Harar are attractive green background road signs that inform drivers their exact locations and distances in kilometres of the various towns from the capital. Arberekati is no different if it was not for a road segment from Awash to Hirna being built by the CRBC. At Arberekati, there are two road signs that illustrate the growing level of mediocrity: you be the judge of what exactly the Amharic word represents on the signs that greet drivers from both directions.

Ironically, officials of the highway owner, ERA, seem to be hardly bothered to demand the contractor right the wrong ever since the road was completed a few years back.