The Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA) has identified a number of issues hindering the implementation and maximum utilization of local economic development (LED) infrastructure projects at local government level. The issues into question include: projects implemented without feasibility studies, limited monitoring of the projects, mismanagement of funds, implementation of the projects that do not respond to needs of the citizens, suspension of the projects in the course of implementation, poor quality of executed government projects and others.

As observed by LODA, “operation and maintenance” is one of post construction phases that need special attention by implementers LED infrastructure projects. This subject has been one of the discussed topics during a two day training from 25th to 27th September 2019 at Hotel Boni Consilii, Huye in Southern Province. The training was organized by LODA in collaboration with Enabel-Rwanda and it was meant to address the aforementioned issues by helping concerned District staff make a reflection on “Planning, Designing, Implementation & Monitoring of LED infrastructure projects”.

According to the 2018 Project Management Manual for LED infrastructure projects developed by LODA, “Operation refers to activities necessary for the everyday running and handling of the infrastructure itself by operators or users”, while “Maintenance is the combination of all technical, administrative and managerial actions during the life cycle of an infrastructure intended to retain it in a state in which it can perform the required function”. In light of these two concepts, the reality on ground indicates that there are many infrastructures which were established in different districts but which remain idle or are not utilized to their full capacity.

Mr. NGENDAHIMANA Pascal, Division Manager of Local Economic Division at LODA acknowledges these problems in these terms: “There are often issues related to non-operational projects or those operating at lower level, and even issues of infrastructure maintenance. Infrastructures are established and exploited, but at times they need to be rehabilitated or renovated; there are standard ways to do it through appropriate planning and subsequent budget. […]. We recommend and shall always support Districts to implement the solutions we have agreed upon in this meeting”.

Mr. RUSIRIBANA Jean Marie Vianney, Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, states that the problem of non-operational or partially operational infrastructures resides in poor project design, and he specifically relates it with non-consultation of project users and beneficiaries ahead of setting up infrastructures. As for maintenance issues, Mr. RUSIRIBANA advises his fellow District staff to adopt long term vision vis-à-vis the sustainability of LED infrastructures right from the project inception phase.

Commenting on the above challenges, Eng. TUYISHIME Consolation, Urbanization Specialist at LODA, states that “Some of the districts have idle LED infrastructure projects ranging from cross border markets, hotel, guesthouses, markets and administrative building constructed years back that are still underutilization or not used as planned. To address this challenge, different plans and actions have been put in place to operationalized those infrastructure where different Ministries and institutions are working together to find solutions”. He further advises districts to always consider their responsibilities vis-à-vis operation and maintenance as stipulated by the National Decentralisation Policy of May 2000: “local governments are responsible for ensuring the correct operation and maintenance (O&M) of infrastructure projects under their jurisdiction”. He adds on that districts ought to have maintenance management plans through these steps: (1) Assets inventory (2) Condition surveys (3) Maintenance actions list (4) Cost estimates (5) Prioritization (6) Planning and budgeting and (7) Implementation.

This fourth round of training was conducted across all the four provinces, remaining with the City of Kigali which was postponed sine die. The discussions held ended up with a number of recommendations on efficient and effective LED project management.