Government offices have continued to default on water bills which have ballooned to UGX 73 billion as the burden shifts to ordinary Ugandans who shoulder most of the payments.
Details submitted to Auditor General Edward Akol, reveal how National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) receivables, or amounts yet to be paid, clocked UGX 355 billion in water bills, out of which over UGX 72.5 billion (20%) relates to unpaid bills by Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Some unpaid bills have been outstanding for more than two years.
The Auditor General noted that the matter of unpaid bills was brought to attention of government in which Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Mr Ramathan Ggoobi committed to settle verified water bills totalling to UGX 43.1 billion, starting with UGX12.8 billion in FY 2023/24 and the balance in the next 4 years.
However, the Auditor General noted that Mr Ggoobi did not fulfil the commitment to settle the outstanding water bills.
Bob Okodi, Amref Health Africa Uganda CFO, On Purpose-Driven Finance and Measuring Impact in Lives, Not Margins“The above creates financial strain on National Water, limiting its ability to invest in infrastructure, maintenance, and service expansion, which adversely affect the quality and reliability of water supply services,” Mr Akol noted.
Mr Akol advised the management of National Water to continue engaging Mr Ggoobi to honour the commitment made and settle the debts owed by MDAs.
The issue of the government’s failure to pay water bills has been long standing. In February, NWSC managers threatened to disconnect a number of government hospitals over water utility bills arrears of UGX 15.6 billion out of the total UGX 81 billion bills owed by government.
