NWSC @50: Mugisha Roots for Adoption, Integration of Home-based IT Solutions
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NSWSC) boss, Eng Silver Mugisha, has urged President Museveni to support the development and integration of home-made technology solutions.
He said the government should evolve “ICT policies that encourage extensive use of local human resource capacity rather than imported technologies that are expensive to maintain, secure and troubleshoot.”
He emphasized: “We request that national IT policies should promote integration rather than discouraging development of individual entity initiatives.”
Mugisha spoke during national celebrations to mark NWSC’s 50 years of excellence at Kololo ceremonial grounds on Friday.
Mugisha’s remarks come against the backdrop of reports that government bodies’ efforts to innovate are being undermined by regulatory bodies.
It is understood that the government prefers imported IT solutions and that agencies which try to introduce their IT innovations are blocked.
Mugisha said NWSC is one of the most computerized government entities in Uganda, based on home grown solutions.
The NWSC top shot gave the example of the recent hacking of the NWSC systems, saying the entity was able to easily get out of the crisis because they use home-based IT solutions.
Mugisha disclosed that NWSC board and management have increasingly encouraged development of internal capacity to carry out engineering design and construction supervision to promote authentic use of local content and reduce project investment costs.
Museveni in a group photo with Mugisha and other senior government officials
He said NWSC is facing constraints regarding donor-funded projects where internal design initiatives fall below required assurance threshold to development partners.
“NWSC has been able to implement projects at about 60% of the costs associated with equivalent project quantum and quality financed by development partners. We request the government to evolve an infrastructure financing policy that encourages entity-based design capacities, including output-based financing policies.”
Mugisha said NWSC has in the last ten years increased service to 263 towns from 23 towns.
He said 18 million people are now connected to piped water from 4.5 million people in 2012 and hopes to grow the number of people served to 25 million by 2026.
NWSC’s annual turnover stands at Shs 519bn from Shs 159bn in 2012, an achievement the president hailed as “wonderful.”
Mugisha said the value of NWSC’s assets under management has grown to Shs 4.1tn from Shs 650bn in 2012.
Museveni inspecting a guard of honour manned by NWSC staff
On his part, President Museveni thanked NSWC’s management for extending water services to 18 million people.
Museveni recalled that in 1979, he was living in Kololo but that his house did not have piped water.
“We had to use jerry cans all the time,” said Museveni, adding, “But I am happy that all these places have water.”
NWSC recently opened up the new Katosi water treatment and supply plant located in Mukono to boost a steady supply of fresh drinking water in Kampala Metropolitan areas.
NWSC on a parade at Kololo grounds
The multi-billion shillings water project supplies up to 240 million liters of water to the public.
He also called for protection of natural water resources from encroachers.
Museveni virtually commissioned over 50 NWSC service delivery projects across Uganda.
Officials said the projects have been designed to improve the lives of the people of Uganda.
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