By Ben Ssebuguze:
Kampala: One of the reasons which was fronted by crusaders of Privatisation of assets under world bank and International monetary funds under the Structural Adjustment programs (SAPs) was that many of government Assets were making losses.
In 1991, the government embarked on a large-scale selling off of previously state-owned parastatals because Ugandans had failed to manage their own national assets which was too embarrassing. However to a large extent, we don’t regret because the structural program has paid dividends as we saw booming of private sector in the free market economy that led to high economic growth.
However, with the way National Water and Sewerage (NWSC) is being efficiently managed yet it was established by Decree No.34 of 1972, someone can be made to retract the statement that government is poor at management of business.
According to the latest report of the Auditor General, the profits of NWSC increased from sh27. 4b earned in 2019/2020 financial year to sh47. 7b in the 2020/2021 financial year. This shows that this parastatal is financially healthy to run it’s affairs. This also proves to naysayers that if government identifies competent people they can actually contribute to government sustained efforts in promoting the countries social economic transformation.
Also important to note is that most government agencies are efficiently delivering service to Ugandans because they run on modern corporate governance practices just like NWSC is being managed, they all have competent board of governors who over see their operations while government continues focus on other critical sectors like governance and security. That’s why phasing out many of them will be breaking government vertebrae.
Some of the key performance indicators for NWSC @50 is that they are providing clean water and sewerage services in 262 towns serving approximately 18 million people is highly commendable performance.
As youths of Uganda, we congratulate President Yoweri Kaguta Museven for strengthening NWSC and making it to celebrate 50 years anniversary of providing a very crucial and critical utility service to Ugandans.
Ben Ssebuguzi is the Secretary General, Uganda Poor Youth Movement,A 2019 Public Opinions Certified Public Awareness and information dissemination fellow. A July 2022 Chartered International Business Leadership Fellow by Public Opinions.
