Nyamagabe approves Rwf10bn budget

NYAMAGABE District will this fiscal year spend Rwf10.8 billion, with a significant chunk of the Budget expected to be channelled into development projects.

Tuesday, July 02, 2013
The district plans to extend consolidated plots of land to boost production of wheat, cassava, beans, maize, potatoes, tea and coffee. The New Times/ File.

NYAMAGABE District will this fiscal year spend Rwf10.8 billion, with a significant chunk of the Budget expected to be channelled into development projects.The new budget is Rwf191 million more than last year’s.The estimates were presented to the district councillors on Sunday by the district’s vice mayor for economic affairs, Immaculée Mukarwego Umuhoza.  The councillors validated the Budget and commended the fact that the funds will be mainly internally generated, mainly from central government, and the planned projects were in line with the district’s development agenda.According to the official, the district’s revenues will contribute Rwf700 million while external partners will donate Rwf650 million. The rest will come from central government.Mukarwego told the councillors that the focus will be put on developmental activities such as agriculture, education, health services and infrastructure development.Some of the infrastructure projects lined up for funding include health posts, feeder roads, public lightings as well as biogas, electricity and water infrastructure.Others are the construction of a lorry parking centre and a water drainage system in Nyamagabe town.In the agriculture sector, the district plans to sponsor two local cooperatives to set up food processing factories – one producing juice while the other will process and package mushrooms."We want to help our population move from agriculture to adding value to their production before taking them to the market,” Mukarwego later told reporters."The target is to create more off -farm jobs for our population.”In agriculture, the district plans to extend consolidated plots of land with the target to boost production.  Crops such as wheat, cassava, beans, maize, potatoes, coffee and tea-which are majorly farmed in the district- will get special atention, Mukarwego said.Up to 150 hectares of radical terraces will also be prepared, with the hope that they would help boost production in an area known for its arid soil. "We shall also move towards agriculture mechanisation with the acquisition of four tractors,” Mukarwego noted.