Double your efforts in 2013, Kagame urges Rwandans

PRESIDENT Paul Kagame, yesterday, called on Rwandans to double their efforts in the coming year to improve their lives.He was speaking after taking part in this year’s last community work (Umuganda) in Mageragere Sector, Nyarugenge District.The President and his family also planted trees as part of the exercise.Kagame wished the area residents and Rwandans, in general, a happy New Year 2013 and reiterated that the government was ready to support their efforts to transform their lives.The President commended the monthly Umuganda exercise – a home-grown initiative – which he described as a platform through which “we can all meet as Rwandans for the purpose of improving our hygiene and environment.”But also importantly, he said, it has taught us that teamwork helps us to produce more than what we would have achieved individually.“Therefore as the New Year ushers in, let us double our efforts, work together to make our businesses bigger, improve the produce from our farms and take quality products to the markets,” Kagame told the cheering crowd.The President urged Rwandans to exploit existing agricultural programmes such as Girinka [cattle stocking programme] and the crop intensification programme designed help to reduce poverty as well as improve the nation’s agricultural output.“Rwanda is blessed with good soils and a very conducive climate for the production of a variety of crops. The Ministry of Agriculture is in position to provide quality seeds and fertilisers to help you get good quality and quantity output,” he said.“Let us aspire to make 2013 a better year than 2012. Let us get ready to work harder and enjoy the fruits of our labour, well knowing that they are sweeter than anything that may be given to us freely.”The First Lady, Mrs Jeannette Kagame, as well as several high-ranking government officials, and police and army officers also participated in the tree planting exercise.