BUJUMBURA May 16th (ABP) – Bujumbura (western Burundi) governor Nadine Gacuti calls on communal administrators and agronomists to monitor the national reforestation program called “Ewe Burundi Urambaye” and report the achievements. The appeal was launched on Tuesday during a security meeting, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
Governor Gacuti told the participants that this program is experiencing some shortcomings in some communes and that Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza has just asked if the tree seedlings uprooted in Mutambu commune, in the Burima I village, have been replaced and if the perpetrators of this nasty destruction have been prosecuted.
The Provincial Director of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Mr. Daniel Mazarahisha, said that during Thursday’s environmental protection works, the grassroots administrative officials do not sufficiently mobilize the people and that they themselves are absent, hence, those works are carried out by the staff of Agriculture and Livestock.
He added that 3 million tree seedlings were planted throughout the province, that 2 000 agroforestry plants were distributed to each village, but that in Mutambu commune, Burima I village, those plants were uprooted by the people, claiming that they dwindle their fields.
Governor Gacuti warned the administrators who play at this program that has been launched by the country’s highest persons in authority, noting that an assessment will be made.
Mutambu communal administrator Jean Pierre Niyongabo acknowledged that tree plants were torn off at Burima I, but that the figure of 19 thousand plants declared by the spokesman of the police was inflated, since 5250 plants had been planted throughout the commune. For him, only 200 plants were torn off, adding that he had ordered their replacement, which was done last week in addition to watering them.
The governor replied that a single plant is enough to be a serious fault, urging the administrators and agronomists to closely monitor the “Ewe Burundi Urambaye” program and to give each time the reports of the lists of attendance and activities carried out.
