The State of Osun Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy; Dr. Amidu Tadese Raheem has stated that in order to enhance the water billing system in the state, there is need for the Osun State Water Corporation to embrace the prepaid billing system.
Dr. Amidu also stated that part of the reason for suggesting the prepaid billing system is to discourage water consumers from cutting corners which will lead them to protect their rate of water consumption.
He also suggested that billing should be made a private affair by contracting it out to business partners for easy remission of money to the state government and provision of security for the pipelines.
The Commissioner stated this during a stakeholders meeting held in his office between the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy, management of the Osun State Water Corporation (OSWC) and 2ML Consulting Limited, Uganda on Thursday, 31st October, 2019.
He disclosed that it was everybody’s business to think of how best to assist the state governor adding that coming up with a reliable business plan is germane.
In his contribution, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources and Energy; Engr. Ibitoye Felix Adeniran advocated for the declaration of a State of Emergency on water resources by the state government.
With the state of emergency on ground, the Special Adviser noted that the political class will be able to achieve their aim of providing the citizens of the state with clean and potable drinking water.
He stated that they were aware that maintenance of equipment is a major problem and they were ready to do all to salvage the problem.
Engr. Ibitoye also identified distribution as a major problem affecting water supply in the state adding that distribution should have been perfected and pipelines repaired.
In his words, “the project is capital intensive and the state cannot do it alone. It will take the assistance of the Federal Government and international donor agencies to help out”.
He promised that problems of shortage of chemical in the water testing laboratory, water supply, aged infrastructure, staff welfare will be tackled head long.
The SA used the opportunity to charge the consultants to put forward their ideas and strategic plans after which workable ones will be adopted.
Earlier, the Managing Director of 2ML Consulting Limited, Uganda; Dr. Williams Tsiimwa had observed that general billing in terms of metering and payment for water consumption is 6%, a situation which is affecting the revenue generating capacity of the Osun State Water Corporation.
He also identified that despite the fact that collections have been increased to 12% and active connections up to 190%, more people now have access to water supply without paying for it.
Dr. Williams commended the state water corporation for rising to the challenge of making Ede Water Works to be one of the cleanest plants in the region.
He advised the Commissioner and Special Adviser to serve the state and the government against all odds adding that if others had done it, Osun too could do it.
The Project Manager; Engr. Godfrey Arinaitwe identified inadequate chemical supplies for the treatment plant, power supply, customers and billing system, aged infrastructure, tariff rate, staff attendance and productivity, good working environment, water quality laboratory, aging and low staff motivation and attitude as the problems affecting adequate supply of potable drinking water in Osun.
He also revealed that one of the solution to the problem of staff attendant and productivity was being tackled through the initiation of incentive mechanism.
Other solutions he proffered include; strengthening of supervisory roles, need to have more staff, billing system of OSWC, customer verification, payment platform; connection with banks, monitoring of commercial operations, strengthening of collaboration and team work between departments, zones and operational units and adopting of management by the will method.
The General Manager of Osun State Water Corporation (OSWC); Engr. Isola Lawrence Ogunsina requested that the state government should grant OSWC access to its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in order to carry out maintenance and repair of its equipment.
He assured that the corporation would rise up to the occasion of helping the Governor deliver on his mandate.