The Chamber of Deputies has expressed concern over low productivity of Integrated Craft Product Centres (ICPCs) locally known as “Udukiriro, calling for firm actions to ensure their profitability. They expressed the concern on Thursday, November 26, 2020 during the Lower House’s plenary sitting which approved the report of the Standing Committee on Economy and Trade on the operations of ICPCs, the marketing of their products and how it is aligned to the Made in Rwanda policy. ICPCs are meant to nurture people who are interested in technical skills, mainly in the fields of art, carpentry, construction and crafts. They are also intended to provide modern facilities for the production and marketing of local products in order to create jobs for the youth and enhance technological development and technical training. MP Théogène Munyangeyo, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Economy and Trade, said that despite heavy investment outlays in ICPCs productivity remains low. The government spent Rwf9 billion spent on setting up 22 ICPCs. However, they generate slightly over Rwf60 million annually, he disclosed. Munyangeyo proposes setting up at least one ICPC in every district if the country is to boost job creation for the youth. The MPs asked the Ministry of Local Government to speed up the construction of more ICPCs. Lawmakers also want the scope of skill offered by ICPC widened. Gaps in job creation Government figures show that before Covid-19 pandemic 206,000 new jobs were being created every year. That figure was still below the national target of creating at least 214,000 jobs annually. About 2,930 jobs were created by ICPCs. The MPs also asked the Ministry of Public Service and Labour to show to the Chamber of Deputies a roadmap for the attainment of the country’s target to create 214,000 jobs annually. The parliamentarians also said that there is an issue of lack of infrastructures such as roads, water, and inadequate electricity which are affecting the operations of some ICPCs, urging efforts to address it.
