NORTHERN PROVINCE

GICUMBI— The Minister of Natural Resources, Stanislas Kamanzi has called upon residents of Rubaya and Cyumba Sectors in the Gicumbi district to protect the local water sources.

"Water is a vital natural resource that helps to boost agricultural production. It is also used to generate hydro power and methane gas production”, said Kamanzi.

He was last Friday speaking as guest of honour at the Nile Day 2009 national celebrations held at Rubaya Secondary School play ground.

The Minister said Rubaya wetland is among the many sources of River Nile in the country, which is why Rwanda should work closely with other regional countries which have access to the river to protect all its water sources from drying up.

These countries include Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, DR. Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Sudan, Eritrea and Egypt.

"Protection of natural resources such as land, water and natural forests is vital for our well being,” he noted, stressing that the River Nile is our heritage and source of regional cooperation.

During the celebrations, close to 25,000 out of 350,000 gravellia, leucenea and calliandra trees which were donated by the Kagera Project, which is one of the projects under the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), were planted on 55 hectares of terraced hilly land in the Rubaya Sector.

The Kagera Project funded the construction of the terraces through Sector Vision Project (VUP).

Present at the function were the district vice Mayor for Social Affairs Eugenie Uwamahoro, who represented Mayor Bonane Nyangezi, a representative of the Northern Province Jean Bosco Sibomana, Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) 408 Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Eric Murokore and the Acting Gicumbi district Police Commander, CIP Jean de Dieu Gashiramanga.  

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