Eastern Province to get $15m for water projects

RWAMAGANA – An international development agency has announced plans to avail $15 million for water projects targeting two districts of the Eastern Province. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) plans to construct water facilities in Ngoma and Kirehe districts. This was announced at a coordination committee of a water and sanitation project in Eastern Province, held in Rwamagana on Thursday. The meeting was co-organised by the Ministry of Infrastructure in conjunction with the districts of Rwamagana, Kayonza, Ngoma and Kirehe all in the Eastern Province. “We have successfully constructed and rehabilitated four water facilities in Rwamagana and Kayonza worth $ 5million. We shall do the same to help 55,000 people in Ngoma and Kirehe soon,” Shokichi Sakata of JICA said. According to Sakata, the meeting was aimed at evaluating their past water intervention initiatives to help them set a roadmap for the future. “Our assessment shows that rural water projects sustainability is the main concern,” he added. Albert Yaramba, the officer in charge of water and sanitation programme in the Ministry of Infrastructure, said that government is working hard to ensure that rural communities are able to access safe water countrywide. He welcomed the intervention by development partners, which he said supplements the government’s undertakings. ‘We are committed to attaining 100% supply of water in all communities by 2020,” he said. Sylvester Mutaburuka, who is in charge of environment, water and sanitation in Kirehe, said JICA’s intervention in the water sector was timely due persistent water shortages in the district. “There is inadequate supply of clean water across the district. During the dry season people have been reported to be purchasing a 20-litre water jerry-can at Rwf 300 in areas like Nyakarambi,” he said. Ends

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Eastern Province to get $15m for water projects