Members of district environmental committees in Northern Province have appealed for the establishment of modern landfills and waste management systems as part of intensifying efforts to protect the environment.

Rulindo, Burera and Gakenke are some of the districts in Northern Province that presently lack designated landfills, posing a challenge to effective waste management, as it was highlighted in the ongoing workshops across the country, organised by Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) in collaboration with Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

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About 270 members of environmental committees across the country are convening to discuss and improve their understanding of short- and long-term environmental and climate change strategies, as well as their roles and responsibilities as per the 2021 Prime Minister&039;s Order.

According to Evariste Safari, a resident of Ntarabana Sector in Rulindo, a landfill would significantly improve environmental protection across the district and neighboring areas.

"We recommend that the district establish a landfill to prevent dumping waste everywhere," Safari said. "This could also create business and employment opportunities."

Lack of environmental awareness is a key challenge that Marie Grace Wishavura, District Environment Office in Musanze District highlighted.

"Misuse of land and improper disposal of waste highly contribute to environment degradation in the volcanic area,” said Wishavura.

Richard Ndicunguye, Green Cities and Adaptation Senior Assistant at GGGI Rwanda, emphasised the importance of workshops for district environment committee members in protecting natural resources.

"The workshops, and awareness raising efforts, empower environment committees to develop local climate action plans for local challenges,” said Ndicunguye.

"In the long run, they also transfer the skills and knowledge to other environmental committees at sector and cell level, thus enhancing climate action from the ground up."

REMA's environmental inspections have identified waste management as a key concern in Northern Province.

"Improper waste disposal, with waste being dumped in undesignated areas, is a prevalent issue," noted Emmanuel Rushema, State of Environment Officer at REMA.

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Speaking to The New Times, Maurice Mugabowagahunde, Governor of Northern Province, assured that various measures are being considered to achieve a long-term waste management solution across the region.

He mentioned an ongoing project in collaboration with the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) to establish modern landfills and a significant project in Musanze that will collect waste from the entire northern region to produce electricity.

"This major project, which is now advancing well, will consolidate waste from across the Northern Province to generate electricity, offering a sustainable, long-term solution to our waste management needs," the governor explained.