RUYIGI January 13th (ABP) – The Minister of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock visited the province of Ruyigi on Wednesday. The trip was part of the campaign to make visits to the provinces to inquire about the daily life of the people, collect their grievances and discuss ways and means of improving the situation and performance, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
In her welcoming address, the Governor of Ruyigi, Emerencienne Tabu, indicated that this province faces a risk of famine following three main shortcomings which characterized cropping season A: drought that lasted until November, the delay in getting fertilizer to farmers, not to mention the staff and technical equipment that are lacking. She also spoke of certain NGOs completing their projects and whose achievements do not last after their departure because, he explained, they have poorly prepared for sustainability and depart with all the material equipment which would have been used in the continuity of development by beneficiaries. She then asked the Minister to provide clarification on the process related to the lamentations of the staff of the BPEAE Ruyigi, who claim to be wronged following, it is said, the negligence of the supervisory ministry, which underestimated their diplomas and granted them salaries lower than their diplomas. By way of illustration, those with A2 diplomas were considered as A3s and A3s as simple agricultural monitors with a level below the 9th basic year. The same technicians also speak especially of those who are approaching their retirement, specifying that most of them have just spent nearly 30 years in the service of the nation, but that the bylaw of civil servants has been authorized to them since only 2016 and that therefore, they are currently considered to be 6 years old at work. Even their contributions to the INSS were not regularly paid. Those civil servants say they fear dying early as soon as they retire and with little or no pension. The grievances of the people were mainly linked to those major articulations of Governor Ruyigi’s speech. About twenty questions were posed to the minister by the people.
Taking the floor, Minister Niragira promised that the issue of delays in the delivery of chemical fertilizers to the people during the previous season is already known and that this error will not be repeated. To the problems of the long dry season which lasted longer than usual, he said that it was a national and even sub-regional phenomenon. This so-called phenomenon of climate change, which causes seasonal disturbances, could be addressed in the future, thanks to the practice of crops that are more resistant to drought, he said. In the meantime, he said, it is better to maximize the exploitation of the current season to take advantage of the current rain.
To the question of the BPEAE staff who are retiring and who are not being replaced, the Minister indicated that the steps are already underway and that the necessary staff will be gradually hired, taking into account the financial availability. To the various complaints related to the treatment of salaries of staff and pensions of agents and executives who are retiring, the Minister stressed that he will consult with his peers in finance and the public service so that they can find an adequate and final solution as soon as possible.
The Minister also reassured the people of Cijongo village in Gisuru commune, who ceded their plots to the State for the construction of Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) premises, that their allowances will soon be made available by the competent authorities and that they no longer need to do sit-ins in front of the commune for their claims.