President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged people who have encroached on the wetlands to vacate before they can be evicted by the authorities.
The president made the remarks while presiding over the commemoration of 50 years of service delivery by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation during an event held at Kololo Independence Grounds, Kampala, on December 2, 2022.
He cautioned local authorities, including Sub County chiefs, GISOs, and parish chiefs, among others, against laxity, which he said has often resulted in wetland encroachment by the people.
The President further reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to continue extending piped, safe, clean water to more households and people across the country.
He also virtually launched 50 NWSC delivery projects across the country and congratulated the corporation upon marking 50 years of service and partially developing its capacity, saying economies of Africa like Uganda are characterised as underdeveloped, meaning they have a lot of potential that has not been developed, which the water body has started doing.
“Thank you for proving that government companies can make money. One of the reasons for privatisation was that the government had given up on its own companies because of their inefficiencies at the time,” said the President.
According to Managing Director Eng. Sliver Mugisha, the assets under the management of the corporation have increased from just UGX 650 billion to UGX 4.1 trillion in just the last 10 years, which is more than seven fold.
The Board Chairman, Eng. Dr. Badru Kiggundu, thanked the president on behalf of the Board and Management of NWSC for creating and enabling an environment in which government institutions and the economy at large have blossomed.
He told the president that the staff has undergone several trainings related to resource management, patriotism, mindset change, and pan-Africanism.
“This has been carried out jointly with Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) personnel, and this is bearing fruits through better performance at the workplace,” Kiggundu said.
Sam Cheptoris, the Minister of Water and Environment, highlighted the mandate and obligation of the ministry, which is to ensure that all Ugandans have access to safe water and sanitation.
“It is the strategic agenda enshrined in the NDIII, the NRM Manifesto, Vision 2040, and the Sustainable Development Goals; 50 years of continuous service delivery from the NWSC, which is one of the strategic service delivery arms of the Ministry, is worthy of celebration,” Cheptoris said.
Among the other invited guests at the celebration were Chairpersons LCV from districts in Uganda, top government officials, military officials, Commissioners of Government, and other dignitaries.
