The Minister of Local Government, James Musoni, has called on all institutions under the ministry, to work as a team and focus on delivering the services the citizens expect of them.

Musoni made the call yesterday during an event to sign performance contracts (Imihigo) with heads of MINALOC-affiliate agencies and Directors General in the Ministry, who are part of the Ministry’s senior management team.

Speaking after the ceremony, Musoni urged the employees to live up to the commitments made in the performance contracts, reminding them that there is no room for complacency in the quest to achieve the set targets.

"We are a country in a hurry when it comes to our development ambitions. Let us move fast in achieving the goals we have set for ourselves. We need to deliver and be accountable to the people,” Musoni said.

"To ensure that your targets signed today will be fully achieved,  it requires you to promote ownership, be focused, vigilant, encouraging and work together”.

The minister said that the ambition should be achieving the set goals by 100 percent, but that for this to happen, there was need for consistency, team work, constant communication and regular assessment and evaluation of the implementation process.

The affiliate agencies that signed their performance contracts are FARG (Genocide Survivors Assistance and Support Fund), Rwanda Governance Advisory Council (RGAC) and Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC).

Others include the National Identity Project (NID Project), National Decentralisation and Implementation Secretariat (NDIS), Rural Settlement Task Force, Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (formerly known as CDF) as well as their respective Directors General.

The senior managers pronounced their 2011/2012 performance targets that are in line with the country’s broader Vision 2020, Seven Year Government Program (7YGP) and ministry’s Single Annual Action Plan 2011/2012.

The ministry’s agencies committed to deliver in the areas of good governance, community development, social affairs and monitoring and evaluation with special emphasis on following performance targets during the financial year 2011/2012:

As a foundation for social and economic development, the country will consolidate its achievements in the areas of good governance, democracy, social welfare and national security and stability will be maintained,.

Also emphasised is the partnership between the government, civil society organisations and the private sector, which will be enhanced through strengthening joint development forum at the local authorities.

The ministry committed to increase capacity, improve service delivery at local levels, civil registration and national identity systems.

It was also agreed that citizen participation on issues affecting them be improved as well as the promotion of the culture of volunteerism and citizen report cards/ community score cards.

Social and financial assistance will be provided to the extremely poor and vulnerable groups of the Rwandan community, especially historically marginalised people, people with disabilities, ex-combatants, vulnerable genocide survivors as well as other needy people.

Ends