A UGX 36 Billion water project commissioned in Bugisu region

Source Daily Monitor 

President Museveni has commissioned a 200km gravity water scheme in Manafwa District and urged residents to use the water for irrigation farming in order to increase crop production.

The president said while giving his speech at Manafwa District headquarters on Saturday that the district leaders should mobilise the residents to ensure that they use the water for not only drinking but also for irrigation so as to increase crop production in their households especially in the dry season.

“You can not only have this water for drinking, but it can be used for irrigation in your gardens because you don’t need a lot of money to channel water to boost your agriculture production,” Mr Museveni said.

He urged the farmers to create channels and small trenches to divert the water to their gardens in order to have constant food throughout the year.

The president, who was accompanied by ministers, area Member of Parliament and district leaders, said the construction of one of the largest scheme with the capacity of serving three districts of Manafwa, Namisindwa and Tororo, was one of the pledges he made long time ago.

“We talked about having water here long time ago and people thought it was a joke, but now the water has been connected and this water serves 16 Sub Counties and it will be extended to other areas facing water scarcity,” he said.

“I heard you are worried about the cost of water per jerry can, but the price will be lowered further from 50 shilling per jerry,” he said.

The Shs36 billion scheme, which is funded by government of Uganda in partnership with the African development bank, has capacity of 1296 cubic meters of treated water per day with the population design of over 500 households.

The scheme has its source located in Soono village in Bukokha Sub County on river Lwakaka with over 900 connections, 387 in Tororo and 533 in Manafwa.

On encroaching on Mt Elgon National Park, the president asked leaders to ensure that they head the initiatives to preserve the environment so as to protect the water catchment areas.

“You are continuing to undress your mother who feeds and you think her nature will be happy with you. This should stop with immediate effect and if you persist you will see a lot of calamities happening in your community,” Mr Museveni said.

Mr Sam Cheptoris, the minister of Water and Environment, said residents should desist from vandalizing water pipes on the scheme.

“The frequent bad habits of vandalizing pipes will derail the well-meaning intention of this project,” he said.

Eng Joseph Eyatu, the commissioner Rural Water and Sanitation Department in the Ministry of Water and Environment, said the second phase of the project will cover the entire Manafwa and some parts of Mbale District.

“We started the first phase in 2010, which has seen extensions after a successful completion and now we have launched the second phase of the project,” he said.

Mr John Musila, the LCV chairperson Manafwa District, said it was a relief to the community members who have been facing challenges of water scarcity.

“My people have been trekking for long distances to get safe and clean water, but now that is history,” he said.

He applauded the President for fulfilling his pledge.

Government to allocate more resources in Power and Roads Infrastructure in the financial year 2018/2019

Government spending for financial year 2018/19 is expected to rise by UGX 200 billion to UGX29.2 trillion (about $8.1 billion) compared to 2017/18 expenditure according to the Budget Framework Paper being discussed by parliament and the reference source for a majority report compiled by the Budget Committee.

Section 9 of the Public Finance Management Act requires the BFP to be passed by the 1st of February every year. Presentation of Ministerial Policy Statements follow, leading to passing of the budget estimates by May 31, 2018.

Once again like the last three previous years, the energy and works sectors will get the highest allocations. Presenting the majority report, Budget Committee Chairperson, Amos Lugoloobi, said the Ministry of Works and Transport will continue to get the lion’s share of budget. From UGX 4.5 trillion this current financial year it will rise to UGX 4.7 trillion.

On going construction of Karuma Dam such sector (Power ) and Transport will be allocated more money in the coming financial year 2018/2019

This is followed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, which is tentatively allocated UGX2.5 trillion from UGX 2.3 trillion. The Ministry of Education and Sports is set to suffer a slight reduction from the current UGX 2.8 trillion to the projected UGX2.7 trillion.

However, a Minority Report presented by Muhammad Kivumbi pointed out that the cost of roads in Uganda is inflated, asking Parliament to keenly interest itself in the matter. “It was also noted with concern that unit costs of externally funded roads are quite inflated as compared to costs in the region’, the report stated.

Domestic Revenue, on the other hand, is projected to rise from UGX15.9 trillion to UGX 16.8 trillion. However, Margaret Baba Diri  said the  government should equally lay emphasis on areas of direct social impact other than the near strict adherence to infrastructure.

“I know we need infrastructure, we need roads. But I think we should also invest in human capital. We put a lot of money in roads but over UGX1 trillion is going to be returned to the national treasury, because it was unspent by UNRA (Uganda National Roads Authority],” she said during a committee session during the week.

On alignment of the national budget with the National Development Plan (NDP), the framework paper expresses pessimism about the achievement of the middle income target by 2020. This is because the projections note a gross misalignment with the NDP.

Of the 127 Ministries, Departments and government Agencies, only 31 have fully aligned their budgets to the NDP II; a key indicator of the nation’s preparedness to achieve the much famed middle income Status in 2020. In Local Governments sector, only 33 out of the 157 are aligned to the NDP.

The Budget Committee expressed concerns about the poverty situation, saying the trend points to an upsurge in poverty especially in the rural areas.

‘The rural areas with about 76% of the population contribute 86% of national poverty. On the other hand, the urban areas represent 24% of the population and contribute 14% of national poverty’, the report reads in part.

The rising poverty, notes the report, can only be reversed by balancing allocations between social and infrastructural development. It states, ‘To reverse the worsening poverty indicators; there is need to balance social and infrastructure spending so as to ensure economic growth does not leave anyone behind. Towards this end, the planning and budgeting frameworks need to learn from what has gone wrong and where redirection is required’.

Power and Roads construction to get the lion share in the 2018/2019 Budget

Government spending for financial year 2018/19 is expected to rise by UGX 200 billion to UGX29.2 trillion (about $8.1 billion) compared to 2017/18 expenditure according to the Budget Framework Paper being discussed by parliament and the reference source for a majority report compiled by the Budget Committee.

Section 9 of the Public Finance Management Act requires the BFP to be passed by the 1st of February every year. Presentation of Ministerial Policy Statements follow, leading to passing of the budget estimates by May 31, 2018.

construction of the Karuma Dam on going Power and the roads sector will take the largest share of the National Budget for the year 2018/2019

Once again like the last three previous years, the energy and works sectors will get the highest allocations. Presenting the majority report, Budget Committee Chairperson, Amos Lugoloobi, said the Ministry of Works and Transport will continue to get the lion’s share of budget. From UGX 4.5 trillion this current financial year it will rise to UGX 4.7 trillion.

This is followed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, which is tentatively allocated UGX2.5 trillion from UGX 2.3 trillion. The Ministry of Education and Sports is set to suffer a slight reduction from the current UGX 2.8 trillion to the projected UGX2.7 trillion.

However, a Minority Report presented by Muhammad Kivumbi pointed out that the cost of roads in Uganda is inflated, asking Parliament to keenly interest itself in the matter. “It was also noted with concern that unit costs of externally funded roads are quite inflated as compared to costs in the region’, the report stated.

Domestic Revenue, on the other hand, is projected to rise from UGX15.9 trillion to UGX 16.8 trillion. However, Margaret Baba Diri  said the  government should equally lay emphasis on areas of direct social impact other than the near strict adherence to infrastructure.

“I know we need infrastructure, we need roads. But I think we should also invest in human capital. We put a lot of money in roads but over UGX1 trillion is going to be returned to the national treasury, because it was unspent by UNRA (Uganda National Roads Authority],” she said during a committee session during the week.

On alignment of the national budget with the National Development Plan (NDP), the framework paper expresses pessimism about the achievement of the middle income target by 2020. This is because the projections note a gross misalignment with the NDP.

Of the 127 Ministries, Departments and government Agencies, only 31 have fully aligned their budgets to the NDP II; a key indicator of the nation’s preparedness to achieve the much famed middle income Status in 2020. In Local Governments sector, only 33 out of the 157 are aligned to the NDP.

The Budget Committee expressed concerns about the poverty situation, saying the trend points to an upsurge in poverty especially in the rural areas.

‘The rural areas with about 76% of the population contribute 86% of national poverty. On the other hand, the urban areas represent 24% of the population and contribute 14% of national poverty’, the report reads in part.

The rising poverty, notes the report, can only be reversed by balancing allocations between social and infrastructural development. It states, ‘To reverse the worsening poverty indicators; there is need to balance social and infrastructure spending so as to ensure economic growth does not leave anyone behind. Towards this end, the planning and budgeting frameworks need to learn from what has gone wrong and where redirection is required’.

Uganda signs deal with GGGI to foster green economy

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Government of Uganda has signed a five-year working relationship with the Global green Growth Institute (GGGI) with the aim of supporting Uganda to foster green Economy growth in the country.

The programme will be implemented under the Country Planning Frame work (CPF) which is the strategic frame work for the cooperation between GGGI and the government of Uganda.

The CPF under this frame work have three out comes which the two parties will be implementing for the government to realize green Economy.And these outcomes are  mobilising finances  for the implementation  of the  Green Growth strategy  for Uganda , supporting  improved  planning  in Uganda’s cities  to catalyze  Green  Growth  transformation while reaping  the dividends  of rapid urbanisation  and lastly to  support government  in its efforts  to expand electricity thorough investing in renewable energy.

Speaking at the Launch of the flame work at the Ministry of Finance, planning and Economic Development on Friday, the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury Patrick Ocailap who represented the permanent Secretary Keith Muhakanizi, applauded GGGI for choosing Uganda as one of their development partners in implementing Green growth Economy.

He said the partnership will support Uganda in fighting climate change which has become a big challenge to the country’s economy.

Dexippos Agourides,of  GGGI (L)and Patrick Ocailap of the Ministry of Finance (R) with another officer from Government posing for group photo after the Launch of CPF   

Through the CPF framework, he said, more resources will be mobilized to finance off grid renewable energy projects across the country; this will reduce the incidences of deforestation thus tackling the issue of Pollution.

“When locals have access to off grid renewable energy, it will offer solutions to the increasing cases of deforestation which is rampant in the country. With this program, the government will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases which are destroying the planet. Reducing Emissions is good for our planet our health and the entire country’s economy,” he explained.

He added that through the CPF framework, Uganda will also benefit in technology transfer  because the program will attract more investors to invest in the production of energy from bio- digestible garbage’s that are becoming big sanitation problem in most urban towns in the country.

Uganda in 2017 launched the Uganda Green Development Strategy (UGGDS) with the aim of demonstrating commitment towards attaining sustainable development goals.

Some of the goals in the development plan are to ensure that Uganda reduces the emission of greenhouse gases by 22% by the 2030.

However, to achieve such goals the government need to source for cheap finance to finance green economy projects that can support government to achieve green Economy pathways.

In his remarks, Dexippos Agourides, the GGGI director for  Africa  and Middle East  Portfolio said  GGGI will support  the government of Uganda  to increase  finance  flows  for the projects  that are going to be implemented under the UGGDS  whose  finance gap stands at USD11 billion.

“To fully implement this strategy, we will require an estimated USD11 billion over a 15 years period. As key government partners, we are tasked to participate in the mobilization of these funds through various financing instruments and mechanism,” he said.

He added that if the CPF frame work is fully implement as its programmed ,it will support government to create more jobs to the ordinary Uganda boost the  country’s GDP private sector growth  as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the country.

Expected key outcomes from the CPF

According to the GGGI CPF implementing document, once the programme is fully implemented as designed it will lead to the following:

Under improved planning of cities, the GGGI interventions will lead to promoting of integrated solid waste management by reaching 50% waste separation at source and also a 70% waste collection nationally.

The programme will also support improvement in accessing to safe water, sanitation and improved transports systems.

On Electricity, the GGGI Interventions will support Government targets of expanding the number of new households that have adopted renewable energy for electricity by 2.8 as contribution towards the government target of 30% by 2010 among other out comes.

COMESA receives €7.1mGrant for Climate Change

 The Common  Market for Eastern  and Southern Africa (COMESA) has signed a Grant Agreement with the European Union Delegation worth 7.1 million Euros to implement one of the regional components of the Intra-African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA)+ programme funded by the 11th European Development Fund. This is part of the larger Intra-ACP GCCA+ Programme worth €70 million, to be dispersed among ACP countries and regions.

This programme is a successor of Intra-ACP GCCA Programme funded with a grant of €4million from the 10th European Development Fund and was implemented from July 2010 to December 2014.

COMESA) is the largest regional economic organization in Africa, with 19 member states and a population of about 390 million.

The overall objective of the proposed action is to increase the resilience of the COMESA region (and its Member States) to climate change and achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals in particular Goal 13 which is “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts” in order to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.

Specifically, the programme will improve regional and national adaptation and mitigation responses to climate change challenges faced by COMESA countries at operational, institutional and financial levels.

The programme interventions will also contribute to the conservation of biodiversity by applying ecosystem-based solutions to climate change adaption and disaster risk reduction.

Some of the result areas in the regional component of the Programme to be administered by COMESA include utilizing the Secretariat’s dedicated operational and institutional capacity to support the needs of Member States in relevant Intra-ACP GCCA+ priority areas, climate change negotiations and implementation of the Paris Agreement.

COMESA will also ensure that regional and national climate change strategies and priorities that contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement have been strengthened and supported in their implementation.

This programme will also ensure that strategic dialogue between COMESA countries is strengthened, and negotiation capacity built, to share information and knowledge about climate action with the aim of promoting cooperation between COMESA countries.

The programme will contribute positively to the mitigation and adaptation efforts of COMESA Member States and ensure their full participation in regional and global efforts to combat climate change. Furthermore, the programme will strengthen the capacity of Member States to access climate finance for their mitigation and adaptation projects.

In implementing the programme, COMESA will work in close collaboration with its Member States, government agencies, Non-state actors, Community Based Organizations, academia and other key stakeholders.

More African to access clean Energy by 2020 African development Bank has pledged to Finance power projects

BYSAMUEL NABWIISO

In line with its High 5 development priorities and, in particular, its agenda to Light up and power Africa, the African Development Bank plans to reach 29.3 million people in African with electricity by 2020.

The President of the Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, made this disclosure at the High Level Event on “New Way of Working: From Vision to Action-National, Regional and Global Dimensions” at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,

.

“The African Development Bank is today at the forefront of investing in renewable energy in Africa. The share of renewable energy in the Bank’s energy portfolio increased from 14% when I became President in 2015 to 100% last year,” President Adesina said. “Our support last year alone provided 3.8 million Africans with access to electricity. And, with adequate financing, we expect to reach 29.3 million people with access to electricity between 2018 and 2020.”He explained

Some of the participants during the conference 

The Bank President called on the UN Secretary General to join him in supporting the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environment Facility to also work differently, and step up support to co-pay for climate risk insurance for vulnerable African countries, noting that African countries, hit by climate change, are hard pressed to find funds to pay the insurance premiums.

The Bank has stepped up and will support African countries to pay for insuring themselves against catastrophic weather events that displace their public expenditures. It plans to provide US $76 million in 2018 for the payment of insurance premiums, with participating countries providing US $31.5 million and the African Risk Capacity Agency (ARC) providing US $16 million. Latest figures indicate that over 20 countries have indicated interest in participating in the Bank-supported initiative.

“An understanding of the link between environmental degradation, extreme poverty and youth unemployment is critical to a New Way of Working. Wherever these three elements are present, there is a ‘Triangle of Disaster’, in which unemployment, poverty and environmental degradation chase each other in a downward spiral to dereliction, terrorism, violence and conflict,” Adesina said.

“The African Development Bank brings this understanding to bear in its policies and programs. Africa’s Triangles of Disaster must become ‘Triangles of Prosperity,’” replete with “jobs, wealth and environmental resilience. That is why we strongly welcome the New Way of Working initiative.”

The Bank has also committed to triple its climate financing to 40% of new approvals by 2020, and is deploying programs and actions to combat fragility and strengthen resilience.

This, the President explained, includes the Sahel region with a US $261-million program; the Horn of Africa with a $281.6-million program; and, for Lake Chad, now seriously affected by the degradation of its productive ecosystems, a US $101-million program to restore the productivity of the basin ecosystem.

The Desert to Power initiative spearheaded by the Bank aims to turn Africa’s deserts into new sources of energy, by working with partners to develop 10,000 MW of solar power systems across the Sahel. The initiative is expected to provide electricity to 250 million people, with 90 million of these provided through off-grid systems.

“We have already started with development of a 50 MW solar power system in Burkina Faso,” Adesina said. “The initiative will protect the Great Green Wall of trees established to protect against desertification in the Sahelian zone, from being cut down by energy-poor households for use as fuel wood. When completed, we expect this to be the largest solar power system zone in the world.”

Last year, the Bank approved a special framework program called “Say No to Famine” worth US $1.14 billion. The Bank is taking a regional approach to addressing fragility, consistent with its new structure, and is using its Transition Support Facility to deliver development solutions to communities in conditions of fragility. 

African Development Bank achieves 100% investment in green energy Projects in 2017

BY SAMUELNABWIISO

The African Development Bank achieved a 100% investment in renewable energy in 2017, a major landmark in its commitment to clean energy and efficiency.

According to press statement  the Bank injected  money in Power generation projects with a cumulative 1,400 megawatts exclusively from renewables were approved during the year, with plans to increase support for renewable energy projects in 2018 under the New Deal on Energy for Africa.

According to Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina, ‘’We are clearly leading on renewable energy. We will help Africa unlock its full energy potential, while developing a balanced energy mix to support industrialization. Our commitment is to ensure 100% climate screening for all Bank financed projects.’’

The African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina

 The share of renewable energy projects as a portion of the Bank’s portfolio of power generation investments increased from 14% in 2007-2011, to 64% in 2012-2016.

The Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) whose goal is to deliver 300 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy in 2030 and 10 GW by 2020, is now based within the Bank, as requested by African Heads of State and Government. The G7 has promised to commit US$10 billion to support the initiative, which came out of COP21 and subsequently approved by the African Union.

On November 8, 2017, the African Bank Group approved its Second Climate Change Action Plan, 2016-2020 (CCAP2) as a clear message of its commitment to helping African countries mobilize resources to support the implementation of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions of Regional Member Countries, in ways that will not hinder development.

The approval of the action plan echoes discussions at COP23 in Bonn, Germany to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperature rises to 1.5C.

The CCAP2 is designed to incorporate the Bank’s High 5 priorities in the Paris Agreement, the 2030 development agenda, the Bank’s Green Growth Framework and the lessons learned in the implementation of the first climate change action plan (CCAP1), 2011-2015

As part of its wider mandate under the New Deal on Energy for Africa, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on December 15, 2017, approved an investment of US $20 million in the Evolution II Fund −a Pan-African clean and sustainable energy private equity fund.

The Bank’s investment in Evolution II Fund reflects the High 5 development priorities of the Bank, the agenda to light up and Power Africa, and the Bank’s commitment to promote renewable energy and efficiency in Africa.

 The Evolution II Fund is expected to contribute to green and sustainable growth by creating 2,750 jobs and building on the track record of the Evolution One Fund (which created 1,495 jobs, of which 20% were for women, and generated 838 MW of wind energy and 87MW Solar PV energy). It is estimated that the Evolution One Fund achieved 1,190,469 of Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission savings annually

In line with its commitment to renewable energy and ongoing institutional reforms, in the first quarter of 2017, the Bank appointed Ousseynou Nakoulima as the Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. He brings global experience in developing and managing programs and partnerships for driving renewable energy, from his work at the Green Climate Fund.