NORTHERN PROVINCE

GICUMBI — Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza and a team of cabinet ministers, last Friday advised Gicumbi District residents to consolidate land use by practicing modern livestock and crop farming in order to improve production.

He also urged residents to protect the environment through the construction of terraces and tree planting. He made the remarks while concluding his two-day tour of Rushaki, Kaniga, Mukarange and Shangasha Sectors.

"Government is committed to creating incentives that enable Rwandans to be self reliant through production of enough food for consumption and surpluses for commercial purposes, in order to improve your economic welfare,” Makuza said. 

While addressing residents at Rushaki Primary School, after inspecting various economic activities, Makuza urged residents to live in ‘midugudu’ community settlements, saying that this would improve access to social amenities such as health facilities, schools, water and electricity.

He also urged residents to eat healthy and fight malnutrition especially among children. He also advised them to develop the culture of saving and form cooperatives if they are to fight poverty.

"A healthy mind, capable of steering economic development is in a healthy and energetic body, devoid of malnutrition and poverty,” he noted.

During his tour, Premier Makuza visited wheat and Irish potato farms owned by Nyinawimana Catholic Parish. He also visited Nyamiyaga sector’s rabbits and Fresian farming projects.

Makuza also handed cows to cooperative societies working with Nyinawimana Catholic parish. The cows were donated from the Catholic diocese.

The premier’s tour was wrapped up with a visit to Kaniga Sector youth pig project, the electricity generating dam project located in Rushaki Sector and Rushaki Bee Keeping Cooperative Society.

He was accompanied by Ministers Protais Musoni of Local Government, Dr. Charles Murigande for Cabinet Affairs, Agriculture Minister Christophe Bazivamo and Minister of State for Agriculture, Agnes Kalibata.

Others included area Governor Aime Bosenibamwe, Mayors of Gicumbi, Rulindo, Gakenke, Burera and Musanze Districts.

Ends