Infrastructure ministry faulted over Nyabarongo expropriation

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday put to task officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure over the needless expenditure incurred during the expropriations for Nyabarongo hydro project as highlighted in the Auditor General’s report for the year ending June 30, 2011. PAC members objected to attempts by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, James Kamanzi, to shift blame to local leaders and other parties over the saga surrounding the project in the Western Province. The report cites compensation totalling over Rwf 73 million made to persons who never appeared on the final valuation report. “Some people were paid more than the value of their property indicated,” says the ministry’s report.PAC Chairperson, Juvenal Nkusi, insinuated wanton theft in the project, saying that nothing seems to have changed since the previous year. “A lot of money is involved in this issue. We want to know about this large scale theft. It [theft] was noted in Nyabarongo, it was noted in Rukarara and elsewhere. You must identify the loopholes in the general problem,” Nkusi angrily remarked. The PS said that independent teams were now double-checking expropriation reports from districts. He, however, blamed previous faults on the negligence of local officials involved in the process. “We had our own staff involved but they would only provide technical support. They could not know all the people. They had to collaborate with local leadership which could ably verify information. Most often, it is on the leaders’ side where, by and large, there were problems,” Kamanzi testified. He said that at times, lists could be compiled and funds transferred to districts but they benefited undeserving people.The hydro power project, the biggest in the country that is meant to generate 28 MW of power was initially set for completion in 2013, but delays in the expropriation process forced the extension of the deadline. It is now set to be commissioned in 2014.

National

Infrastructure ministry faulted over Nyabarongo expropriation