Proper financing of WASH issues to increase country's GDP by 9%
Mar 22, 2019
“We did a study on the economic contribution of water development and environmental services to the economy and the results showed that the GDP will grow by 9% if 6-7trillion is invested into the sector."
Water and environment experts have predicted that if government injects about sh6-7trillion into the water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector, the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will increase by 9%.
This was part of the suggestions civil society organizations made under their umbrella body Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) during a high level policy dialogue on financing WASH in Uganda.
The dialogue which was a side event of the ongoing water and environment week at Entebbe water resources Institute was held under the theme: Financing for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Uganda, the challenge and opportunities.
"We did a study on the economic contribution of water development and environmental services to the economy and the results showed that the GDP will grow by 9% if 6-7trillion is invested into the sector."
If you invest in Water and sanitation, the returns are quite enormous which academicians and the technocrats are able to calculate, "explained Collins Amanya the principal economist in the Ministry of Water and Environment.
He explained that issues like rural urban migrations are some of the things which can be analysed and measured as they drastically end after enormous improvement.
Amanya cited an example of Mukono town which was transformed due to the investment in the supply of water and other utilities.
"Previously Mukono had a challenge of water, but now it has turned into another upcoming town with speedy growth due to availability of water and other infrastructures, "he said
He noted that even if the total of 6 to 7 trillion may not be fully allocated but even the little will add on something to the economic transformation of the country.
He explained that the country's GDP stands at 684 $USD saying that if it is to grow by 9% annually, it will be adding $61USD to the economy given the growth rate which has been standing at 1.24 and 2.4 annually.
By increasing this, it's a sign that WASH can contribute to enormous shift of Uganda's economy.
Amanya proposed that if WASH can be turned into a programme and gets its independent support to address issues of sanitation and safe water coverage in local government and other communities it would address the challenge.
"We no longer need to see people carrying water on their head, if we are to achieve a middle income status 2040, because we have targets which must be achieved, but how do we achieve this when women are still carrying water on their heads, "he said
He cited UNEP which was a programme that elevated the country because it was looking at targets of eradicating the six killer diseases and achieved a lot.
"I believe that if sanitation can be taken as a programme, it would address the different problems. We need to finance wash activities in order to achieve our different targets, "he said.
Mitchell Ayinebyona the program assistant CSBAG observed that financing alternatives are very crucial in the realisation of the improvement in WASH sector.
"Government has been making efforts to increase support for WASH with much efforts on schools and health facilities.
We have been trying to see how we can get other alternatives and get the commitments from governments that it can push forward what can be achieved after realizing the importance of wash, "he said.
He said, "Wash is an element that affects the community and directly the households and in this, we have been trying to interrogate these issues along with civil society organizations, ministry of water and KCCA.
The funding is there but, we need to push for the utilization of that funding by seeing how well the money coming in like in schools is being utilized,".
He cited some of the alternative funding as being soliciting from humanitarian organisation like the water Aid among others.
He said that CSBAG is currently strengthening the voice of citizens in advocating for wash financing.
"We have realised that the citizens are not aware and they don't know their roles in promoting WASH, "he said.
The secretary of the Participatory Budget Club Leonton Kamya re-echoed that government has not taken the mantle to differentiate the funds meant for different issues.
"We want the money meant for WASH to be ring fenced in schools, health centers and other institutions such that it is not diverted but it is addressing the intended goals, "he asserted.