NYAGATARE- The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) has assured residents of Gatsibo District that there will be no more destruction of crops by stray elephants at Akagera National Park.

Recently, over 70 stray elephants from the park attacked residents in Munini cell, Rwimbogo Sector, and destroyed crops worth Rwf 6million.

It took the intervention of Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) helicopter to hound the elephants back to the park.

Meeting with Gatsibo residents on Thursday, Fidele Sebatware, the RDB official in charge of coordinating National parks, said that an electric fence is under construction to restrain animals from further attacks.

"Construction of this fence began in June. This fence will stop any animal that will attempt to cross over national park boundaries,” he said.

According to Sebatware, the 12km fence that is set to cost Rwf12.5 billion will be completed in a period of nine months.

Residents have on several occasions appealed to the government for compensation of their destroyed crops.

"I lost hectares of maize and sorghum due to stray elephants that attacked us recently. We are wondering if the government will offer those affected  compensation,” one of the residents complained.

In response, the RDB official assured residents that a law concerning compensation was passed by the Parliament and the government is at advanced stages of compensating them.

"The law was clearly passed by the parliament and awaits presidential approval. You will soon get your compensation.”

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