GITEGA, June 4th (ABP) – On Friday, Burundi’s Head of State, Evariste Ndayishimiye, presided over the 8th General Assembly of the National Commission for Social Protection.
The event took place in Gitega, Burundi’s political capital in the center of the country, and was attended by members of the government, all the provincial governors and communal administrators, and staff from the ministry responsible for social affairs.
In his speech, Mr. Ndayishimiye explained that social protection aims to ensure the well-being of the people. He pointed out that well-being is acquired from conception, adding that it continues from birth to old age through good nutrition, education, health care and social security. President Ndayishimiye therefore recommended that parents bring up their offspring in well-being.
The same advice was given to those who indulge in baseness, such as cohabitation, alcoholism, drug use and sexual vagrancy, to the detriment of their well-being and that of their families.
The President also made it clear that his government is concerned about the welfare of pensioners. It is regrettable to see a former civil servant languishing in poverty after devoting more than three decades of his life to the service of the nation. To that end, he urged the Burundian people to roll up their sleeves and increase production in order to replenish the state coffers. He pointed out that people should prepare for retirement while they are still working. He therefore called on all those in work to make savings in banks or other financial institutions by setting aside part of their salary for a supplementary pension. Mr. Ndayishimiye also recommended that the technicians on the national social protection commission look into the social protection of domestic servants working in households, bricklayers, assistant bricklayers, watchmen and security company staff.
In his closing speech, he thanked all those who are actively involved in raising the population’s standard of living. He cited, among others, Burundi’s partners in social protection, as well as civil servants working in the agricultural and livestock sectors for their contribution to reducing unemployment.