The Management of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has agreed to restore water supply at health facilities upon Agreement of Payment Plan (APA) by June 30, 2023.
At the beginning of May, 2023, the NWSC Managing Director, Silver Mugisha, directed that all government institutions that had accumulated domestic arrears over and above the discount invoicing threshold approved by the Ministry of Finance be disconnected with immediate effect. This followed their failure to heed the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ggoobi Ramandhan’s, directives to consider water bills as the first call on quarterly releases.
The Corporation disconnected supply at the Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, Naguru General Hospital, and Hoima Hospital due to outstanding bills worth about UGX. 1.95 billion.
According to Mugisha, the decision to reconnect followed constructive input from Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Minister of Water and Environment, and Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, Ggoobi Ramandhan.
“NWSC has agreed to reconnect health facilities on the understanding that a concrete payment plan will be agreed upon by June 30, 2023. We thank all friends for their usual support,” Dr. Mugisha Silver said through a Twitter post.
The development followed a letter from Mr. Ramandhan Ggoobi to NWSC requesting a reconnection, indicating acknowledgement of the outstanding arrears and the government’s appropriate provisions to clear the arrears in the medium term.
“Given the importance of these facilities towards saving lives, this is to request that you reconnect these facilities with the commitment that the required funds will be provided,” the letter by PSST read.
According to NWSC, over Shs. 19 billion in arrears are yet to be paid by government institutions such as the Uganda Police, Prisons, and Ministry of Defense, among others.
