GITEGA July 12th (ABP) – The Minister of Trade, Transport, Industry and Tourism, Mrs. Capitoline Niyonizigiye, launched on Thursday the activities of the Technical Control Center for Vehicles and Motorcycles at the agency of the Public transport office (OTRACO) located in the Musinzira quarter of the political capital of Gitega (central Burundi).
That launch was part of the implementation of the recommendations made by the President of the Republic of Burundi, Mr. Evariste Ndayishimiye, who had given the order to start, as soon as possible, the activities of the granting of the secure technical control certificate to improve access for vehicle and motorcycle owners to that technical service. That center thus comes to respond to the concerns of those owners who, previously, had to travel long distances to go to the Bujumbura City Council to carry out the technical control.
In his welcome speech, the legal adviser to the governor of Gitega, Mr. Arthur Niyonsaba, expressed his warm thanks to the President of the Republic of Burundi and his Government, who insisted on opening the Technical Control Center in response to the wishes of the people for the decentralization of services.
On his arrival at the OTRACO branch in Gitega, the Minister in charge of Transport visited the services of the Technical Control Center for vehicles and motorcycles from the issuance of secure forms until the granting of the secure control certificate.
In his opening speech, Minister Niyonizigiye addressed her thanks to the Head of State of Burundi for the obvious interest he has shown in starting the activities of that Center to find solutions to the concerns expressed by the owners of the vehicles that previously had to travel long distances to access the technical control services which were centralized in Bujumbura only. She added that with that goal of decentralizing that service, two technical control centers will soon be opened in the provinces of Ngozi (north) and Bururi (southwest).
The result sought by responsible and hard-working government is to enable vehicle owners to save time and resources, as the solicitation of a single service by several people sometimes gives rise to speculation such as the phenomenon of corruption. She took the opportunity to ask the staff of that Control Center to carry out their services effectively while avoiding any harmful acts.
The Minister in charge of transport indicated that the Government will spare no effort to ensure road safety. This will reduce the number of fatalities linked to road accidents. She called on the administrative authorities to ensure the proper functioning of that center. The circulation of vehicles and motorcycles in good condition will improve road safety. She invited the owners and users of vehicles and motorcycles to denounce anything that would attempt to undermine the efficient functioning of that Technical Control Center, in particular, cases of corruption. They in turn must ensure compliance with the Highway Code.
The representative of the Association of Private Drivers of Gitega, Mr. Pierre Claver Rugemintwaza, and the representative of the Association of motorcycle-taxi riders of Burundi, Mr. Sylvestre Manirambona, expressed their warm thanks to the Head of State of Burundi and to his Government for that laudable initiative to open the Technical Control Center which offers advantages to the owners of the vehicles, in particular the saving of the financial means which they had to spend to go to Bujumbura. They also felt that they will have the Control Certificates in due course without having to wait long.
Members of those associations and the public in attendance applauded the opening of that Technical Control Center.