The state Minister for Water Resources, Ronald Kibuule has said the provision of water for domestic use and production has remained a big challenge where access to safe water in rural and urban areas of Uganda stands at 71% and in large towns at 79%.
He says similarly, water storage capacity for productive uses such as irrigation, livestock and other uses remains very low thus a lot of efforts need to be put into provision of water and sanitation services
“A lot of efforts need to be put into provision of water and sanitation services to reduce the disease burden, enable the women and youth to be spared time for collecting water and promote production and hence employment and wealth creation,” Kibuule said.
Kibuule made the remarks while closing the fourth water and environment week, which was under the theme “ensuring water and environment security for socio and economic transformation of Uganda”.
He said Uganda’s water resources are shared with other countries, by various local governments and by various people where their rational and equitable management is key to the growth of the country.
“The varying uses of water are interlinked and require sustainable exploitation and management to ensure that there is adequate water of the right quality and quantity for both production and domestic use even during the dry seasons,” he said.
He said Uganda faces continuing and increasing challenges to environmental and natural resources management, calling for greater efforts to ensure that these resources are sustainably managed for the present and future generations.
I therefore have no doubt that the outcomes and recommendations of this fourth water and environment week will revolutionize the water and environment sector and enable it deliver more on the wealth creation and employment agenda of government.
Kibuule said his ministry will implement the recommendations of Uganda Water and Environment Week 2021 but also revolutionize the water and sector to enable it deliver more on the wealth creation and employment agenda of government.
The permanent secretary Ministry of Water and Environment Alfred Okot. Said the water and environment sector’s funding needs to be increased as the population keeps increasing, he thanked the patners and different government agencies that saw the Water and Environment week become a success.
He said Safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and hygiene are pillars of human health and well-being.
The closing event held at the Ministry of Water and Environment Auditorium, was also attended by Nadia Cannata, First Secretary and Head of Sustainable Development Sector, European Union delegation and the Lead Development Partners for the Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Alexander Danilenko, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist at the World Bank and Lead Development Partner for Water and Sanitation, Executive Directors and Directors, Head of departments, Representatives of Private Sector and Civil society organisations, among others.
