With the dust settling down after the arrival of the two Bombardier CRJ900 planes, the question now is how the national carrier will avoid the past mistakes that led to its demise some 20 years ago.
The management of the revamped Uganda Airlines needs not to look very far for the best business model and corporate strategy to embrace if they’re to beat the odds and make Uganda Airlines profitable.
Uganda Airlines management can borrow a leaf from our very own National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), which has been sweeping global awards year in, year out as the best managed and profitable organization; not just in Africa but in the world.
Unsurprisingly, NWSC, which still maintains its status as the best performing Parastatal in Uganda, was last month announced winner of the prestigious “Utility Distinction Water Leader 2019” at a function held at the Natural History Museum in London.
In addition, the corporation was recognised for its efforts to turn around the utility into Africa’s most bankable water utility after securing the continent’s highest ever credit rating for the sector.
South Africa’s Global Credit Ratings Co assigned NWSC a long term national scale issuer rating of AA (UG) and a short term rating of A1+(UG).
Established in 2006 by Global Water Intelligence, the awards recognizes the most important achievements in the international water industry within several categories, and reward those initiatives in the water, wastewater and desalination sectors that are moving the industry forward through improved operating performance, innovative technology adoption and sustainable financial models.
This was the second time NWSC is receiving the Distinction Water Leaders Award, having won the same prestigious award in Paris 4 years back.
The NWSC Managing Director, Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha, speaking exclusively to Eyewitness24 attributed the award to the support from the Government of Uganda, the Board and committed staff at corporation and customers who support the utility by paying bills promptly.
“The award is in recognition of the work NWSC is doing in delivering services to our people. We are committed to 100 per cent service coverage in all the areas we operate in and we extended our service footprint from 27 towns to 240 towns in the last financial year,” he said
“We are aggressively extending our network to serve more people in the country. In addition, we working on water supply stabilization plans to address all water supply challenges in the network and large infrastructure service delivery projects aimed at improving access to clean safe water and sanitation services in Uganda,” said Eng. Mugisha
WHAT MAKES NWSC TICK
According to Dr. Mugisha, NWSC was operating in 23 towns five years back, and now it operates in more than 240 towns.
“Customer base has grown from 300,000 customers to now over 615, 0000 customers with a network length to a tune of 15,000kms,”he said.
“NWSC moved from 80kms of water mains extensions per year to now over 2000kms of water mains extensions per year and on top of that its assets grew from Shs650 billion to 1.75 trillion among others.”
Recently, NWSC launched the Service Coverage Acceleration programme, aimed at extending services to over 12,000 villages across Uganda by 2020.
In the #SCAP100 programme, NWSC plans to extend water services to more than 12,000 villages; install 140,000 new connections; install 20 000 public stand pipes; and by 2020, have more than 8,000kms of water mains extensions in place.
NWSC also has the largest sewage treatment plant in East and Central Africa with design capacity to treat 42 million litres of waste water every day and generate 630kw of power from biogas.
The plant which is located in Industrial Area at Wankoko, Old Port Bell Road on completion in a few months to come will extend up to 37kms of sewer lines to various parts of Kampala. It will also treat water from the heavily polluted Nakivubo Channel.
On the other hand, the corporation plans to build sewerage treatment plants in Nalukolongo and Kajjansi and its also piloting packaged sewage treatment technology in Fort Portal, Kisoro and other towns of operation to improve sanitation and health.
“The corporation is working to achieve 100% service coverage in all its areas of operation,” revealed Dr. Mugisha.
NWCS TROPHY CABIN OVER FLOWING
In 2018, NWSC won the Digital Customer Experience by Utility brand and best Utility brand on social media awards at the 5th Digital Impact Awards Africa. The awards were meant to recognize companies that are changing the face of financial service delivery by using technological and digital innovation.
In the same year, the corporation bagged two awards for Best Digital Media Management Campaign and the prestigious People’s Choice award at the 7th edition Public Relations Association of Uganda Excellence Awards.
In 2017, NWSC also scooped two awards for “Best Government Agency on Social media and Best Customer Service” during the Digital Impact Awards
In October 2014, NWSC was named the year’s winner of the Golden Europe Award for Quality and Prestige which was created in Europe to recognise firms around the world which have distinguished themselves in provision of quality services.
The same year (2014) in August, NWSC won the Global Water Leaders Award in Paris and in May 2014, NSWC had been voted the best African water utility.
