BUBANZA January 31st (ABP) – Development partners operating in the sector of social protection are called upon to work for the well-being of their respective beneficiaries, it was revealed on Friday January 26, in the headquarters of the Bubanza province (north-west of Burundi) during the coordination workshop of social protection projects and programs working in the provinces of Bubanza, Cibitoke, Bujumbura and Bujumbura city.
That workshop, the objective of which was to discuss the implementation of those partner projects and programs, the challenges encountered and solutions, was organized by the ministry responsible for Social Affairs, through the SEP/CNPS (Permanent Executive Secretariat of the National Social Protection Commission).
According to the Administrative and Financial Director of the SEP/CNPS, Mr. Désiré Niyiburana, “Burundi benefits from several supports and interventions from those technical and financial partners, international and local NGOs, but their real impact on the socio-economic development of the country remains to be proven.”
Constraints to the proper execution of projects and programs which have been mentioned by partners working in social protection are, among others, the low membership of the community health mutuality, the decision of the BRB to suspend savings and credit within solidarity groups, insufficient fuel, inaccessible land, rising prices for basic necessities and others, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
Faced with all those constraints, the representative of the SEP/CNPS, Mr. Désiré Niyiburana, promised to approach all those concerned for the outcome. However, he urges partners working in social protection to properly fulfill their missions, in collaboration with provincial technical services, and to always provide reports to the administration. He invites administrators to regularly monitor the implementation of those projects and programs in order to prevent any slippage. He warns employers who do not care about the social protection of their employees, specifying that they face sanctions in accordance with the law.