The State Minister in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Eng. Uwihanganye Jean de Dieu, has said that shortages of essential goods such as petroleum products, which are being reported in other countries, could also reach Rwanda. Therefore, Rwandans should take preventive measures and support government efforts.
Eng. Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye explains that the rise in petroleum prices at the international level is continuing due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
He says the Government of Rwanda has put in place measures to deal with these price increases, but citizens must also contribute so that the burden does not fall on the government alone.
He said: “Rwanda is prepared; we monitor the situation daily, but it is also necessary to tell Rwandans that we cannot go through these times without working together.”
He added: “Price increases have not stopped and will continue. It is important to tell the truth. Just as prices changed within ten to twelve days, we continue to monitor them daily. When it is necessary, prices will be adjusted. What we assure Rwandans, as we always explain, is that when supplies are available, we consider them, and our main goal is to prevent a shortage of petroleum products.”
He said that preventing a shortage of petroleum products requires joint efforts between the government and the citizens who use them.
He added: “We look at what is coming into Rwanda, but we also want to work with Rwandans to help us ensure that available resources are used properly. That is why we encourage Rwandans, first, to only make necessary trips.”
Uwihanganye says that people who own private vehicles should use public transport more, especially since the transport system in Kigali has been improved and is now functioning well.
He said: “For example, if you cannot get public transport and that is possible, when you are going to the same destination (for example, if you are coming here to the radio from Bugesera), there is no need for everyone to bring their own car and park five vehicles here. You can travel together, go to one place, and use one bus instead.”
Measures at home
Eng. Uwihanganye Jean de Dieu also said that good management of petroleum use should go hand in hand with the proper use of other household necessities, because rising prices in one area affect prices in others.
He said: “Even at home, how we use electricity and gas, let us try not to waste them and use what we have efficiently. When you look at the measures we have as government and those we expect Rwandans to adopt, this is the only way we can successfully go through these challenges together.”
He added that Rwandans cannot be guaranteed that shortages seen in other countries will not reach Rwanda, because the causes are global issues beyond anyone’s control.
He said: “We cannot tell Rwandans that what has happened elsewhere, especially shortages, cannot reach us. It is possible that it reaches us. We are doing everything possible to prevent that. We have also put in place what we can call triggers like in other countries, where sometimes people are asked to work from home, or you can only go to the fuel station on a specific day depending on your license plate. We cannot say we will not reach that level, but we are working hard to avoid it. However, we want to work together with Rwandans so that everyone contributes.”
The Secretary of State in MININFRA added that such awareness campaigns have been ongoing for some time, but tangible results are not yet clearly visible, and the government hopes to see better outcomes.
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