NORTHERN PROVINCE

MUSANZE —The Ministry of Local Government on Tuesday launched Rwanda’s development frame work of Vision 2020, under which the poorest sectors in the districts will act as pilot areas for development initiatives.

Protais Musoni, the Minister of Local Government officially launched the development initiatives in Gashaki Sector in Musanze district, where 91% of the residents are said to be poor.

A Frw50 million cheque was given to the sector to boost development initiatives through creating avenues of employment, boost agriculture modernisation and support the health sector.

While launching the development programme, Musoni challenged residents to change their negative attitude towards development, saying the goals were attainable.

He called for a collective rapid result-oriented approach in addressing development matters; by involving all NGOs operating from the sector. Under the new approach each cell is supposed to set up a defined income generating activity.

According to Johnston Mugaga, the coordinator of Vision 2020 development agenda, the sector development goals have been set and shall be executed and evaluated after every two months for a period of one year.

Two experts from Sierra Leone and Madagascar have been hired to advise farmers on agricultural transformation and other structural changes in the sector. Every cell was asked to specialise in a particular crop for extensive production.

Minister Musoni requested the local leaders to set the development time frame within which to evaluate the impact. Several high ranking officials including two provincial Governors: Penolope Kantarama, [Western Province] Fidel Ndayisaba [Southern province] and a representative of the Eastern Province graced the ceremony.

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