MPs query infrastructure sector budget, projects

Members of the parliamentary committee that’s examining the Budget Framework Paper for the next fiscal year have asked officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure to revise their sector’s proposed budget in line with national priorities. The parliamentary standing committee in charge of the national budget and patrimony was hosting officials from the ministry and six of its affiliate agencies to evaluate the execution of the current budget and discuss the projected budget for the sector for 2016/17 fiscal year. The Infrastructure officials, who said the ministry had executed the current budget to the rate of 96 per cent, are seeking another lion’s share of the budget that amounts to Rwf282 billion to carry out development especially in the areas of energy, water, roads construction, and housing. According to the MPs, the ministry’s targets in energy and water production should go hand-in-hand with the distribution and extension of the existing facilities to avoid possible losses. MP Constance Mukayuhi, the chairperson of the committee, said the challenges encountered should have been addressed in time. “You will need to revise your BFP taking into context the targets and projects in the areas of energy and water,” she said. Mukayuhi said that the ministry will need to liaise and harmonise its planning with government priorities and the three-year Medium Term Expenditure Framework. The lawmakers equally questioned sluggish implementation of some roads and housing projects. Christian Rwakunda, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure (Minifra), stated that energy supply remains one of the key challenges since the government will need more money to upgrade transmission lines. “There is need for transmission lines connecting different places like Karongi-Rubavu-Goma and Shango, Symbion-Rubavu, Rwanda-Burundi, Rwanda-DR Congo,” he said. He pointed out that there was a Rwf30 billion funding gap to cater for the envisaged transmission lines and expropriation costs for premises that will accommodate transformers and or electricity polls. Mininfra’s proposed budget seen by this newspaper shows that water supply in urban and rural areas and sanitation services have a funding gap of close to Rwf20 billion mostly for construction, rehabilitation, reinforcement and extension of water supply distribution network in the City of Kigali, construction of Nzove II water treatment plant. Dr Alexis Nzahabwanimana, the minister of state in charge of transport, said generation of water and energy should go hand-in-hand with networking structures. “Electricity, for example, is supposed to be consumed there and then. If we don’t have distribution systems in place, what has been produced will be wasted; the same applies to water, the recent increase in Nzove plant capacity changed things significantly in the City of Kigali, but there is need for more networks,” he said. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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MPs query infrastructure sector budget, projects