Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) is facing a major challenge in conducting thorough inspections and executing projects due to a shortage of staff.

The issue was highlighted by the Director General of the housing authority body, Alphonse Rukaburandekwe, while appearing before members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on April 29, to respond to issues highlighted in the Auditor General’s report for 2022/23 financial year.

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Rukaburandekwe said the housing authority body is operating with only 97 staff members while they need over 195 to function at an optimal level according to the structure.

"We only have half of the staff we need. This is a significant gap which has a direct impact on the ability to deliver on time,” he noted.

"We have received approval from the relevant ministry in charge to launch a recruitment drive next month, and this initiative aims to bridge the staffing gap and bolster the workforce within three months,” he added.

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However, Rukaburandekwe noted that there is a potential hurdle in this plan.

"After investing in training and equipping new staff with the necessary knowledge, they sometimes leave for other opportunities. Hence, creating a cycle of recruitment, training, and then losing valuable personnel, causing setbacks in the authority’s progress,” he said.

This was in response to MPs’ question on why many of the staff who appeared before PAC on April 29 were introduced as acting heads of units.

Rukaburandekwe emphasised the importance of special staff retention strategy.

"We’re actively working on creating a culture of continuous learning within the authority, equipping our staff with essential skills like project management which will not only improve their efficiency, but also make them more valuable, reducing the incentive to leave,” he said.

Citing some of the issues in the housing sector, PAC noted that some public institutions are still renting which costs government a lot of money, yet the housing authority has stalled projects of buildings in which the institutions have to operate.

The government is seeking proactive measures to address the issue of exorbitant annual office rental costs for public entities, which currently amount to roughly Rwf12 billion.

Other issues in need of address are stalled affordable housing projects, school construction projects, irregularities in public tenders, among others.