SPEECH FOR THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY ON THE OFFICIAL HANDOVER OF TEN (10) RURAL WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES (HAND PUMPS) FROM THE THIRST PROJECT AMERICAN NGO – TO THE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY ON MONDAY 24th JULY 2013.
VENUE: MADUMA NCP- NHLANHLENI COMMUNITY UNDER SIPHOFANENI INKHUNDLA.
PROGRAMME DIRECTOR,
BANTFWABENKHOSI,
BOBABE BOCHIEF,
HER EXCELLENCY THE AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
THIRST PROJECT PRESIDENT,
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR,
HONOURABLE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,
HONOURABLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR SIPHOFANENI INKHUNDLA,
INDVUNA YENKHUNDLA,
WATER AND SANITATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
MEMBERS OF MEDIA HOUSES,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
- IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THIS IMPORTANT OCCASION TO RECEIVE THE TEN RURAL WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES FROM THE THIRST PROJECT ON BEHALF OF MY MINISTRY.
- I AM RELIABLY INFORMED THAT THE THIRST PROJECT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MY MINISTRY THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THE COUNTRY SINCE 2010 ON THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FOR THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER.
- THE THIRST PROJECT HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH ON COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT FOR THE PROVISION OF SANITATION FACILITIES.
- THESE RURAL WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES THE MINISTRY IS RECEIVING TODAY HAVE RELIABLESOURCES OF WATER FROM BOREHOLES WITH HIGH YIELDS AVERAGING OVER 3 LITRES PER SECOND EACH. THE WATER SOURCES WILL THEREFORE BE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPLY ADEQUATE POTABLE WATER FOR ALL THE RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SERVED BY THESE WATER SCHEMES.
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS PLEASING TO NOTE THAT 9 OF THE MICRO WATER SUPPLY SCHEMES WERE CONSTRUCTED UNDER TINKHUNDLA LOCATED IN THE DROUGHT STRICKEN AREAS. INDEED THE WATER WILL BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
- THE POPULATION TO BE SERVED BY THESE WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES IS APPROXIMATELY FIVE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED (5,500) PEOPLE INCLUDING NATIONAL CARE POINTS.
- IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE COMMUNITIES BENEFITTING FROM THESE MICRO WATER SUPPLY SCHEMES ALSO MANAGED TO ACHIEVE 100% SANITATION COVERAGE WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH’S ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE. THIS IS INDEED A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH THE COLLABORATION OF MY MINISTRY, THE THIRST PROJECT AND THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.
- THE TOTAL COSTS OF THESE PROJECTS THAT INCLUDES CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE THIRST PROJECT, HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT’S CONTRIBUTION AND IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION FROM THE RECIPIENT COMMUNITIES AMOUNTS TO APPROXIMATELY TWO MILLION EMALANGENI (E2, 000,000.00).
- THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THESE SCHEMES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, SHOWS THAT THESE COMMUNITIES ARE COMMITTED TOWARDS THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THESE PROJECTS. THIS IS FURTHER CONFIRMED BY THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITIES HAVE ALREADY CONTRIBUTED AN OVERALL TOTAL OF OVER E25, 000.00 FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THESEMICROSCHEMES.
- I THEREFORE URGE ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN THE VARIOUS TINKHUNDLA WHO ARE BENEFICIARIES OF THESE WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES TO MANAGE THE SCHEMES PROPERLY AND REPORT ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS TO THE NEAREST REGIONAL OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS (RURAL WATER SUPPLY) IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS.
- I FURTHER IMPLORE THE COMMUNITIES TO CONTINUE CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUND WHEN CALLED UPON TO DO SO BY THE WATER COMMITTEES THAT THEY ELECTED. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THE SCHEMES CAN LAST LONGER FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IT HER PRIORITY TO PROVIDE WATER FOR ALL BY 2022 AS STATED IN THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (NDS) AND IS ALSO STRIVING TO MEET MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL (MDG 7) NUMBER SEVEN TO HALVE PEOPLE WITHOUT ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER BY 2015. TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE MENTIONED GOALS THE COUNTRY NEEDS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THIS IS WHERE OUR COOPERATING PARTNER, THE THIRST PROJECT HAS BEEN OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO MY MINISTRY IN THE ENDEAVOUR TO DELIVER POTABLE WATER TO RURAL COMMUNITIES.
- TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE THIRST PROJECT, I WISH TO EXTEND MY SINCERE GRATITUDETO YOU AND YOUR COOPERATING PARTNERS FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT TO HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF ESWATINI.
- HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT AND THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY IS GRATEFUL FOR ALL THESE WATER AND SANITATION INTERVENTIONS FROM YOUR ORGANISATION AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
- BEFORE I CONCLUDE, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE MADE THIS FUNCTION A SUCCESS.
- WITH THESE FEW REMARKS, I HEREBY HUMBLY ACCEPT THE TEN RURAL WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES AND DECLARE THEM OFFICIALLY OPENED.
- I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- MAY GOD BLESS US ALL