WDA, Chinese firm sign $10 million deal

The Workforce Development Authority (WDA) and China Geo-Engineering Corporation, yesterday signed a financing agreement to pave way for the disbursement of funds to start the construction of the Integrated Polytechnic Regional Centre (IPRC) in the Northern Province.The $10 million deal will be channelled towards the construction of a regional polytechnic centre in Musanze District, Northern Province.The construction of the project will be funded by the Chinese government while Rwanda will provide the resources used by students at the campus, such as learning materials, school furniture, among others.The Director General of WDA, Jerome Gasana, signed the pact together with Zhu Xingui, the Deputy General Manager China Geo-Engineering Corporation in an event held in Kigali.Speaking after the signing, Gasana said the construction of IPRC North will take only a period of 19 months to be fully completed.“The construction is going to kick off soon and we hope the Chinese firm will complete the project on time. IPRC North is part of five IPRCs planned for all the provinces all over the country,” he stated.“So far, Kigali IPRC is in operation; Eastern and Western IPRCs are to be completed in the next couple of months. We are remaining with IPRC South and we are in talks to start its construction which I hope will start next year.”IPRC equips students with skills in line with key government priority areas, such as agriculture and animal husbandry, renewable energy, construction, tourism and hospitality, ICT and multimedia, hair dressing and job creation skills among others.The Musanze facility will be equipped with administration blocks, conference halls, student dormitories, play grounds, computer labs and classroom blocks among others.The construction of vocational training centres is a government initiative to promote job creation by empowering people with hands-on skills.According to Xingui, IPRC Musanze will be completed on time as per the schedule.“The levelling of the construction site and laying of the foundation has started. We are getting construction equipment from China within the next few weeks and we hope to complete the project on time,” he said.IPRC provides all kinds of qualifications to students, ranging from degrees, diplomas and certificates.The Chinese government continues to channel huge amounts of money in Africa towards financing of infrastructural developments.Recently, it pledged to provide $20 billion in concessional loans to African countries within the next three years to assist in developing infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing, and small and medium-sized enterprises.Despite the western nations’ aid cut to Rwanda, China continues to aid infrastructural developments in the country.

National

WDA, Chinese firm sign $10 million deal