On the bright and early morning of March 14, 2022, representing members of National Water and Sewerage Corporation(NWSC), Kampala Water(KW) and the teams of Project Consultants from various organizations witnessed the handover of Ggaba DAF and Ggaba Sludge Works.
Welcomed by the Senior Manager Infrastructure, Planning & Development; Eng. Denis Taremwa who also happened to be the lead on the project, delegates got a chance to appreciate the facility.
Overjoyed at the accomplishment, the Director Planning and Capital Development – Paddy Twesigye revealed that it had been a long time coming. He added that people who don’t succeed are those who give up very easily and we don’t give up very easily.
Friedrich Lantzberg, the Project Manager JKW then gave a brief regarding his experience with the project. “It was quite a success and I have to thank the project team, my friend Denis and the contractor who was very flexible in these critical moments.”
Although the team had problems with the business partners and their need to drive up costs, the consultants managed to still mitigate this issue and provide a good facility that solves some of the problems that the Corporation has had to deal with. These feelings were shared by the Sogea-Satom AFD teams represented by Jean Luc Sion and Francois respectively.
The long journey was also hinted upon by Eng. Amayo; DMD-Technical services. “It has been a long journey since we started and I would like to thank Denis who has been part of even the small projects we have been running as a Corporation.” He also highlighted that the project has had a number of components and mentioned the intensity of the water infrastructure specifically regarding the long term goal shared not just by the Corporation but the entirety of the Country. “What we are doing today fits very well in our corporate plan and this National Development plan focuses on some aspects of growth that include but are not limited to;
- Industrialization
- Human resource growth
- Private sector development
This project ensures and strengthens the Corporation and helps certain in-house interventions such as the fight against Non-revenue water.
He went on to further explain how the corporate plan has 20 areas through which top management has streamlined and those indicators are meant to grow the business. Business volume is one of the key strategies underway for the next 5 years with an interest in reduction of income hazards such as Non-Revenue Water(NRW) from 37% to 33%.
He thanked the team at Kampala water for working very hard towards reversing the problems posed by increase in water from the katosi plant that sometimes leads to leakages and water pipe bursts.
He concluded his remarks by saying that despite the challenges faced by the team, the work will and can be done.
“I would like to reinstate that I am very very happy with the outcome of this project. Good leaders don’t own the success of a project and avoid the blame game which is not a fruitful resolution by any standards.” He thanked the team from Kampala Water, the Government of Uganda, the Development Partners who worked tirelessly to put resources together. Eng. Amayo extended his confidence to Mr Lutaaya and his team in going forward with the project assets.
The session then broke off into the second phase which entailed the hand-over of certificates to the teams.
The project is a great start towards increasing water production from 200 million litres of water per day to 250 million litres. This will improve water supply reliability within the greater Kampala metropolitan area. The second yet underrated benefit this project realizes is in sludge treatment whereby waste gets treated before it is discharged back into the water source. For all intents and purposes, this is a sustainable way of protecting the environment. All in all, this project is an example of the tenacity that hard work and resilience can accomplish.
Story By : Anitah Mahoro
