Personnel employed to protect forests across the country, have petitioned Parliament seeking support to address concerns like meagre pay and short-term contracts which exclude them from securing bank loans.

While presenting their complaints to the plenary sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, MP Frank Habineza said that employees, represented by one Aron Masezerano, complained that they have spent over 10 years protecting forests but work on short-term contacts of one year, which they sign annually.

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"They told us that they get a small salary of Rwf60,000 [per month], such that, coupled with a one-year contract, it makes it difficult for them to secure loans from banks, or be able to run development-oriented ventures,” he said.

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He told his fellow parliamentarians that the workers in question want their forest conservation position to be included in the organisation structure and statute of public servants.

He said that they wrote to different public entities seeking intervention, including the Ministry of Local Government, but in vain.

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He indicated that the Ministry of Local Government received their request, and in December, 2019 wrote to the Ministry of Public Service and Labour demanding that forestry personnel at sector level be included in the general statute governing public servants.

However, he said that no response was provided to that issue.

Also, he exposed, the Rwanda forestry authority wrote to the Minister of Public Service and Labour, requesting that such workers be included in the statute governing public servants.

The authority’s appeal, he said, was in line with the Government’s seven year programme – national strategy for transformation (NS!) – especially in the framework of putting in place measures meant for proper utilisation of natural resources, and protecting the environment with a view of sustainable development.

But, still the workers’ issue was not addressed.

"That is why those workers, represented by one Aron Msezerano, wrote to me, requesting that the Parliament make advocacy for them so that they are treated under the statute governing public servants,” Habineza said.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Donatille Mukabalisa said that the petition will be forwarded to the responsible committee so that it looks into it.