By Chris Mugasha
Parliament has commended Uganda’s water agency the National Water and Sewerage Cooperation (NWSC) for serving the country diligently.
The deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa said NWSC is one of the government institutions which have democratized access to water services unlike in the past.
The deputy speaker said water had been reserved for only urban areas and also left only to make profits.
Tayebwa hailed the agency’s Managing Director Dr. Eng Silver Mugisha for causing a paradigm shift in NWSC.
“You introduced mechanisms of making sure that water is extended to rural areas plus subsidizing the cost so that our local people can have access to clean and safe piped water,” Tayebwa said.
The deputy speaker was on Saturday speaking at the traditional giveaway (kuhingira) ceremony of Mugisha’s daughter Edinah Ainomugisha at their up country home in Kabushaho in Bushenyi district. Ainomugisha got married to Albert Bagabe. Tayebwa congratulated the couple, Mugisha and his wife Annet Katusiime who is the Bushenyi district woman MP.
Ministers, MPs, top government officials and several dignitaries attended the ceremony.
Tayebwa appreciated NWSC stressing that, “to find that there is water in a remote villages……!!”
Tayebwa recalled how in 2017, a proposal was presented in parliament concerning a project that was intended to extend water beyond towns but at that time money was never allocated to the project.
“We had to use other means to make sure that money was allocated to that project and we are happy that about 19700 people were connected under that project,” Tayebwa said. The deputy speaker described such connections in rural areas as a critical contribution explaining that, “that’s why we are joining you as parliament/government to pay tribute to you for your efforts in turning around NWSC.”
Tayebwa implored parents to take the issue of parenting seriously. He said that it is unfortunate that some parents have turned into absentee parents saying many (parents) give the excuses of too much work/busy schedules.
Recently, NWSC launched a 4 year ambitious Corporate Plan aimed at expanding water and sanitation services to more Ugandans.
The plan for 2024-2027, themed “Water and Sanitation for All,” builds on the corporation’s achievements over the past three years, during which it increased its asset base from UGX 3.5 trillion to UGX 4.5 trillion and grew its customer base from 785,000 to 950,000 connections.
According to Mugisha, the NWSC’s 10-year performance history and outlook, cites key performance indicators such as population served, connections base, network length, assets, annual turnover, and budget cost coverage.
NWSC’s performance over the past decade has been impressive, with significant growth and improvement in various key performance indicators. The population served has increased from 5 million in 2014 to 17.5 million in 2021, with a projected increase to 24 million by 2027 and 32 million by 2034.
The number of connections has grown from 366,200 in 2014 to 785,000 in 2021, with a target of 1,135,000 by 2027 and 1,565,383 by 2034. The network length has expanded from 8,100 km in 2014 to 19,300 km in 2021, with a projected increase to 23,142 km by 2027 and 28,217 km by 2034.
NWSC’s assets have grown significantly from UGX 0.7 trillion in 2014 to UGX 4.5 trillion in 2024, with a target of UGX 5.1 trillion by 2027 and UGX 7.2 trillion by 2034. The annual turnover has increased from UGX 180 billion in 2014 to UGX 634 billion in 2024, with a projected increase to UGX 867 billion by 2027.
NWSC has improved its budget cost coverage from 50% in 2014 to 63% in 2024, with a target of 68% by 2027 and 82% by 2034. End.
