ENERGY MINISTER NANKABIRWA TASKS TEAM TO ENSURE INCREASED ENERGY ACCESS TO HOUSEHOLDS
By Juma Nsubuga
A Steering Committee for the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project has been sworn-in, with a call to the members to ensure that the project’s objective of increasing access to energy for households, commercial enterprises, industrial parks and public institutions is achieved.
“Electricity access Scale-up Project is a critical input to the achievement of the national development plan (NDP)111 and our vision 2040 and therefore directly feeds into our work towards the attainment of sustainable development goal (SDG7) on the universal access to modern and clean energy by 2030” Energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa who presided over the swearing in ceremony at the ministry headquarters said.
She warned the team against soiling this important project with scandals.
“This committee needs to ensure project teams have systems and processes in place to effectively guide the execution of the different activities” she guided.
The committee includes representatives from various ministries including the ministry of energy and mineral development, ministry of finance, ministry of water and environment, ministry of education and sports, ministry of Health, local government and Uganda Energy Credit Company (UECC).
The committee of 19 members will be chaired by the permanent secretary to the ministry of energy and mineral development Eng. Irene Bateebe.
Among the committee roles is to provide overall strategic guidance and monitoring of project implementation progress and shall also oversee compliance, review project reports and budgets and monitoring environmental and social issues to ensure project alignment with guidance and regulations.
The committee members in their oath committed themselves not to directly or indirectly not to reveal any matter to any person which shall cause to their discharge of their duties expect with the permission from the president.
Among the committee members includes, Eng Irene Bateebe, Eng Cecilia Menya the commissioner electric power department, Ms Specioza Ndagire the general manager UECCC, Roy Baguma Nyamutale, Eng Abdon Atwiine the assistant commissioner electricity power department and Mrs Jacqueline Besemera the principal assistant commissioner ministry of education sports.
Government of Uganda with funding support from the World Bank is preparing the Electricity Access Scale-up up Project with a development objective of increasing access to energy for households, commerical enterprises and pubic institutions.
