The central Government has urged local leaders to step up efforts towards achieving Rwanda’s development agenda.

The two-day meeting at Jali Club in Kigali dwelt mostly on how the agriculture sector could contribute more to the economy. It was observed that more efficient involvement of the local administration was crucial to the success of national programmes.

Cabinet ministers and other senior officials underlined the importance of local governments’ involvement and delegation of responsibilities as a means of achieving better results.

"Apportion responsibilities to sectors and individuals for better efficiency and accountability," Local Government Minister Protais Musoni, advised.

While calling upon local authorities to help manage and protect land for better use, the minister pointed out that, "the centre of agriculture is land and, there are competing interests that must be sorted out so that land for agriculture is made available."

A wide range of economic issues such as land tenure and consolidation, animal resources development, horticulture, research, coffee production and environment aspects were discussed. The meeting also closely scrutinized efforts in fighting the genocide ideology and discussed the Fund for the Support of Genocide Survivors (FARG).

All discussions focused on how to involve local leaders in enforcing and implementing development initiatives from the grassroots level.

Participants underscored the importance of value addition, focusing on solutions to issues and being practical as the way forward rather than dwelling more on problems and finger pointing.

On fighting the persistent genocide ideology, Musoni observed that it will take both time and strong will since the ideology was ‘planted’ over a long period of time.

He said the measures devised against the genocide ideology have not changed but if pursued consistently, a mindset change will be possible.

Southern province continues to surpass other provinces with the highest incidence of the genocide ideology.

"Analysis suggests that more effort is needed in certain areas than in others," Musoni said referring to the most affected regions.

The situation in the south could undoubtedly be explained by the presence of pro-genocide elements in neighbouring countries and how severely the region was affected during the Genocide.

The fact that many genocidal elements and revisionists still exist outside the country continues to constrain the country’s efforts in achieving sustainable unity and reconciliation, officials observed.

The Director of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) Dr Rose Mukankomeje explained the role of local leaders in environmental protection.

She stressed the importance of ownership by locals of all environment conservation projects which will also be attained through massive enforcement, mobilization and sensitization of the people by grassroots leaders.

The Minister of Health Dr Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo highlighted various constraints encountered by his ministry.

These included decisions that contradict his ministry’s work at local levels and delays in implementation of the ministry’s directives.

Directives don’t reach those supposed to implement them in time as it was revealed.

Ntawukuliryayo also requested local authorities to double efforts in sensitizing the population about the country’s population problem.

He suggested that fertility rate must be reduced from six children to at least two.

"I have given the population problem the highest priority," he said, adding, "If we want to attain Vision 2020, we must seriously consider this issue."

The minister called upon health counsellors and local authorities to educate the population about family planning.

"Given our fertility rate, demographic calculations do not allow us to go beyond two children per family," he pointed out. "We have to educate our people."

Ends