Energy minister tours Nyamagabe

NYAMAGABE - The Minister of State in charge of Energy and Water, Coletha Ruhamya, Monday conducted a one-day familiarisation tour of Nyamagabe district, where she inspected several development projects.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Minister Ruhamya and district leaders at one of the sites she visited (Photo; P. Ntambara)

NYAMAGABE - The Minister of State in charge of Energy and Water, Coletha Ruhamya, Monday conducted a one-day familiarisation tour of Nyamagabe district, where she inspected several development projects.

Talking to The New Times, Ruhamya said that the tour was aimed at discussing with local leaders the district’s challenges and work together to address them.

"I want to find out the areas where I could give support in order for the district to achieve its development objectives,” she said.

Together with the district Mayor, Alphonse Munyentwali, the minister, who is charged by cabinet to oversee the development of the district, inspected five kilometres of stone paved roads and the ongoing works on 4 kilometre road construction in Nyamagabe town.

She also inspected the ongoing construction works of classroom blocks under the 9-Year- Basic Education programme. She expressed concern with the way construction is being carried out.

"The issue of classroom construction is crosscutting in all districts in the country. We need to begin constructing storied buildings because our land is limited,” Ruhamya said.
She, however, expressed satisfaction with the district’s efforts to improve the living conditions of the people.

"I am impressed by efforts to improve hygiene in schools and health centres, the district leaders have a lot of innovation but are held back by lack of funds,” she observed.

At Uwinkingi Sector, the minister inspected a water supply project that is expected to serve over 16,000 people and Rwf200million health centre in the Sector.

In Musebeya, she toured a modern market structure and an electricity project. Ruhamya observed that the district has potential for the establishment of mini-hydro electricity plants.

"We will look into the possibility of constructing off-grid mini-hydro electricity plants to benefit the local population,” she said.

In Buruhukiro Sector, the minister was impressed by efforts of local tea farmers to increase the acreage of their tea farms and welcomed plans to construct a tea factory in the area.

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