Rwanda’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has warned the Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA) On This Monday 7th of July 2025 over delays in releasing government funds intended to support citizens’ projects, expressing fears that these delays could slow down development. Meanwhile, MINEMA officials have assured that the problems have been resolved and beneficiaries will no longer face obstacles.

Typically, beneficiaries first receive a loan from a financial institution to start their projects and begin repayments. Once they have repaid 50% of the initial loan, the government provides additional subsidy support to help them continue their work.

Philippe Habinshuti the Permanent Secretary at MINEMA at Parliamentar session with PAC

Philippe Habinshuti, Permanent Secretary at MINEMA, stated: “Although there were delays, no funds remain idle at the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD). All the money has now been transferred to financial institutions, ensuring beneficiaries receive their support on time.”

The PAC pointed out that the delays were partly caused by long approval processes across different institutions, including bank board meetings.

Hon. Valens Muhakwa, PAC Chairperson, said: “We do not want public funds to sit idle while citizens wait for resources they need to work. It is the responsibility of all relevant institutions to solve these issues.”

PAC also criticized procurement irregularities in the construction of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) schools in Gicumbi and Kirehe districts, where duplicate items and inconsistent pricing were detected.

Habinshuti added: “We acknowledge negligence in tender processes, but these have been corrected. Duplicate items have been removed and pricing aligned accordingly.”

He further explained that following an audit by the Office of the Auditor General, new measures were put in place.

“The lesson learned is that we must monitor procurement from tendering to execution to safeguard public funds from waste,” Habinshuti noted.

The PAC urged MINEMA to improve collaboration with financial institutions to ensure funds reach beneficiaries promptly, so projects and citizen development are not delayed. MINEMA pledged to continue addressing shortcomings so that citizens receive their support smoothly and on time.