EAC ministers vow to make Victoria Basin productive

Ministers from the East African Community (EAC) partner states have committed themselves to make projects implemented by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) productive and beneficial to the people of the region.They made the pledge yesterday after touring projects implemented by the commission in Rwanda. The projects include the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project Phase II (LVEMP II) and the Lake Victoria Water Supply and Sanitation Programme Phase II (LVWATSAN II).“We are committed to ensure that the projects become successful and be centred to the needs of the basin’s population,” said Peter Munya, Kenyan Assistant Minister in the Ministry of EAC. “Despite various challenges we encounter, like environmental degradation, floods, as partner countries, we shall make sure that we achieve the goals of the LVBC in the region”.According to Stanislas Kamanzi, the Minister of Natural Resources, the EAC partner countries were engaging in various mechanisms to ensure that the projects become productive in the region.“The projects being implemented by LVBC in Rwanda are on the right path and we are focusing to make sure that they benefit not only Rwandans, but the whole population in the Victoria Basin as a whole,” he said.About five ministers from EAC bloc and other senior officials in the LVBC toured Gikondo Industrial park, LVWATSAN II at Lake Muhazi, and Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park.The ministers observed that Rwanda was doing well in terms of removing water hyacinth on Lake Ihema which is a great step towards eradication of water weed on Lake Victoria and River Nile.In Rwanda, the hycinthe was removed from Lake Ihema in 2010 using manual methods and taken out of Akagera National Park and re-used as fertilisers in neighbouring agricultural fields.Dr. Canisius Kanangire, the Executive Secretary of LVBC, said the commission was doing all its best to guarantee that projects in the partner countries become vital to the livelihood of the regional population.“Every year, we budget $40 million dollars towards the implementation of the projects and it’s our commitment to realise our goals,” he asserted.After the visit, the ministers approved several reports on the status of implementation of decisions of the 9th Sectoral Council of Ministers; and the Annual Report 2010-2011, as well as the LVBC Strategic plan for 2011/2016.They directed LVBC to fully carry out the execution of the strategic plan within the regional countries.The Lake Victoria Basin covers an estimated 194,000 square kilometres. It has a population of about 40 million people; a GDP of $40 billion; and, a wealth of resources of economic importance.