VP roots for clean water, better environment

ROSE ATHUMANI

VICE-PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan flanked by; from left; Zanzibar Minister for Health, Mr Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Minister for Water and Irrigation, Eng Gerson Lwenge, launches a WaterAid Tanzania 2016-21 Country Programme Strategy, with the theme: "Putting Water, Sanitation and Hygiene at the Centre of Development" an event sponsored by Swedish Postcode Lottery in Dar es Salaam, yesterday. Right is Country Director, Dr Ibrahim Kabole and Regional Director, Ms Olutayo Bankole-Bolawole.(Photo by Mohamed Mambo)

VICE-PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has called on officials managing water and environment projects to work harder and ensure better results so that people can live clean in line with the government’s goals come 2020.

The VP made the call yesterday at the launch of WaterAid -- Tanzania's five-year strategic plan that focuses on linking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) with the country's development plans.

She noted that administrative challenges in some of the water projects across the country were a result of poor performance. "I’m calling upon those tasked with managing water projects to increase their efforts to the government can attain its set goals of bringing clean and safe water to the public both in urban and rural areas," she stressed.

She expressed hope that the strategic plan would increase the public's access to sustainable clean and safe water. VP Samia noted that concerted efforts between government and other stakeholders have increasingly improved access to clean and safe water in rural areas through construction and rehabilitation of water infrastructures including dams in dry areas.

As of June 2017 a total of 22.95m/- people, about 72.58 per cent, in rural areas are accessing clean and safe water within an area of 400 meters as directed by the 2002 water policy, Samia explained.

She added that in Urban areas the government's goal is to increase access to clean and safe water in regional headquarters from 86 per cent to 95 per cent, district headquarters, towns and national project areas from 60 to 75 per cent and in Dar es salaam from 72 per cent to 95 per cent.

"Alongside those goals, cleanliness of the environment is also important in safeguarding our health from outbreaks such as cholera and typhoid. Aside from clean and safe water, we all must ensure we are surrounded by a clean environment," she stressed.

The VP said proper implementation of the strategic plans would have to national goal in 'helping woman to “take down the bucket of water from her head”. She stressed that access to sustainable clean and safe water has also seen improvements of girls performance in schools and decrease in school dropouts.

WaterAid Tanzania Country Director Dr Ibrahim Kabole said the strategic plan was in line with the country's second water strategic development plan 2016-2020. "WaterAid Tanzania supports government's efforts in bringing water close to the public especially the bottom 20 percent who cannot easily access the commodity.

"Tanzania has been doing well in improving the lives of its citizens through provision of clean water and environment services to its people, however the country has a long way to go to cover all the citizens," Dr Kabole explained.

He explained that with the current government's good governance under President John Magufuli it is the right time to bring major changes in the water sector.

Dr Kabole acknowledged that they are facing a number of challenges including expanding of towns that do not go a long with expansion of the necessary infrastructure in the respective areas.

"Despite the challenges we believe that this is our collective responsibility as stakeholders to join efforts and use the right technologies to achieve the desired major changes in the sector," he added.