Rwanda has approved a raft of reforms, which could lead to job losses at the Rwanda Development Board in bid to improve its performance.

Up to 40 jobs could be lost at the parastatal in a restructuring process aimed at making it competitive to support the government’s development agenda.

“The reforms are aimed at enforcing efficiency at the institution, the structure will have some changes. RDB is supposed to be a high performing body to match the speed at which the country wants to develop,” said Minister for Public Service and Labour Judith Uwizeye.

“New positions have been created, others removed while some departments have been merged to have few but skilled people. We have added new positions like analysts and specialists in different fields and removed those that seem redundant. However, I am not certain when the new structure will be in place,” she added.

Ms Uwizeye also revealed that RDB staff will have to write exams in the restructuring process to get rid of incompetent employees and reward qualified ones. RDB has often come under heavy criticism over slow pace in addressing concerns raised by investors.

Top positions such as the chief executive and chief operating officers will be retained.

Seven agencies — Rwanda Tourism and National Parks, Rwanda Commercial Registration Services Agency, Rwanda Investment and Export Promotion Agency, Rwanda Information Technology Authority — were merged to form a one robust development board to spearhead the country’s development agenda.

The parastatal has previously been faulted by the Auditor General’s report for “inadequate monitoring of privatised companies.” The report noted that RDB failed to keep tabs on what privatised companies were doing to file quarterly reports as stipulated in investment agreements.

The report also accused RDB of not taking advantage of a $2 million document tracking system that was intended to help it in approving and monitor development projects.