In October 2010, Triple-S Uganda spearheaded the process of reviving the WASH coordination in Lira district. Since then the District Water and Sanitation Coordination Committee (DWSCC) has held quarterly meetings, the latest being in May 2012 where key resolutions were passed, aimed at enhancing coordination of actors as well as functionality and sustainability of WASH services.
Published on: 14/06/2012
Lira District Local Government has set critical resolutions to pursue its institutional roles and responsibilities towards enhancing sector coordination as well as functionality and sustainability of water services.
Lira District records show that access to safe water stands at 68% while functionality is at 78%. This is comparable to national statistics of 80-83% and 65% respectively, reported in the Water and Environment Sector Performance Report, 2011. “We are winding up the year with a functionality rate of 80%” says Hudson Omoko District Water Officer. Mr. Omoko further says that the District Water and Sanitation Coordination Committee (DWSCC) has also set targets for financial year 2012/13 of 85% functionality and access of 75%. The District Water Officer is confident that with partners like IRC/Triple-S, Devine Waters, SNV and Plan Uganda, Lira District Local Government is on course in realising those targets.
DWSCC is one of the decentralized sector coordination structures established by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) to provide a platform for coordinating and overseeing the activities of the water and sanitation sector in the Local Governments and strengthen collaboration across sectors and between different players.
IRC/Triple-S is hailed for steering the revival of Lira DWSCC in October 2010. Since then, this committee has continued to enjoy full support from the district leadership and its partners including IRC/Triple-S, Divine Waters, SNV, and Plan Uganda among others. Six committee meetings have been held since then with the latest being on May 10 and 11, 2012 which involved field monitoring visits to all the nine sub-counties of Lira District. The field visits together with the deliberations of the DWSCC revealed pertinent issues regarding performance of the sector and this triggered the committee to derive the following resolutions.
1. Representation of Hand Pump Mechanics Association (HPMA) in DWSCC: It was agreed that the HPMA unconditionally becomes a member of the DWSCC. Lira HPMA has been formally registered and officially launched by the Hon. Chairperson LCV and the Chief Administrative Officer-Lira District Local Government. The chairperson and secretary of the HPMA fully participated in the DWSCC meeting of May 10-11.
2. Scaling up of Bol Icap innovation: This is an innovation that integrates the concept of village savings and loans into the water user committees. Bol Icap is a noble idea that has caused social and economic emancipation among some of the communities in Lira and Adekokwok sub-counties. These innovations were presented in the Northern Uganda Regional Learning Forum of March 27-28, 2012 and were also targeted during the DWSCC joint field visits to reaffirm their existence and applicability across the entire district. The DWO was tasked to work with other stakeholders like TSU2 and IRC/Triple-S to develop a scale up strategy for Bol Icap in the district.
3. Rehabilitation works on point water sources: The Lira HPMA manages the repair of boreholes and shallow wells in the district. The district water officer (DWO) provides regular support supervision to ensure effective and efficient service delivery.
4. Sanitation Day: It was agreed that in order to promote good hygiene and sanitation practices, a specific day will be declared in every month as a ‘sanitation day’ and this will be overseen by the office of the chairperson LCV.
5. Joint monitoring and commissioning of facilities: All members of DWSCC (NGOs, Local Government Departments, Political Leaders) to ensure active involvement in regular monitoring and commissioning of all facilities constructed or installed in the district. The field visits of the DWSCC to various sub-counties revealed that quite a number of facilities had not been formally commissioned, moreover some members had no knowledge of existence or plans to provide such facilities in those areas.
6. District Advocacy Meeting on sustainable services delivery: In a bid to enhance on functionality of various point water systems, the DWSCC agreed to schedule a meeting targeting all extension personnel, sub-county chiefs, sub-county chairpersons (Local Council III) and involving the office of the district Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), District Chairperson (Local Council V), secretary of works, secretary of health, and District Health Inspector (DHI).
7. Municipal Council (MC): To participate in all subsequent DWSCC meetings.
8. Training of Water User Committees (WUCs): The field visits by DWSCC member groups also revealed the high rates of non-operational WUCs across the various sub-counties. DWSCC recommended that DWO to plans and budgets for the training of all defunct WUCs.
The DWO Hudson Omoko said, these resolutions are expected to guide service delivery and to enhance functionality of water and sanitation facilities in the district.
While the drafting of the resolutions is a crucial step, it also comes with huge demands especially on the side of DWSCC and District Local Government Leaders. Commitment from all stakeholders will count a lot in operationalizing these resolutions.
IRC/Triple-S like many other sector players in Uganda seeks to ensure that communities are on track to self-sufficiency through creating opportunities which result in water services that last. During the past two years, Triple-S has supported the Lira District Water Office in areas that include among others decentralised support to local structures (HPMA, DWO), good governance - promoting transparency and accountability in service delivery, sector coordination, sector learning, knowledge management and research.
Robert Otim
14 June 2012
