Bank speaks out on delay of cattle stocking funds

EASTERN PROVINCE NGOMA— Michel Kabuto the Manager at Bank Populaire in Kibungo has said the delay in the release of money meant for cattle stocking in Ngoma district is because the beneficiaries still lack the required documentation. Talking to The New Times, Kabuto said that the beneficiaries’ projects were poorly planned and that they needed to be revised with the help of senstised leadership. The reaction follows recent complaints by Ngoma district Sector Executive Secretaries that the bank had refused to release the money disbursed by the government through Bank Populaire for the ’One Cow per Family’ commonly known as Girinka. An initiative by the President Paul Kagame, Girinka is meant for poverty reduction and enhancement of productivity in rural areas. Kabuto cited a letter dated 13th of September 2007, signed by the then Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Anastase Murekezi saying that most residents did not have the right facilitation to take care of the cows. According to the letter, Sector Executive Secretaries, agronomists and residents who were trained in project planning are required to help beneficiaries prepare for the project which Kabuto says was not done. The projects presented by the residents which were wrongly prepared, Kabuto said were done without the help of their leaders. “These leaders never helped their residents as it was supposed to be, to put in order all that is required for a resident to get a loan,” he said. He added, “We are a bank that needs things which are clearly laid out according to the agreement between the bank and the government. We can not therefore work on things which are not clearly identified.” He however, said that about 12 residents, who revisited their projects as required, have so far received the money. “We have the money ready for anyone who has filled all the documents clearly,” he said. Ends