Inside: Uganda’s bright but under-exploited mineral resources
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Fixing Uganda’s water and sanitation infrastructure deficit
INNOVATION
SPECIAL REPORT
TECHNOLOGY
Rootzone’s innovative bio-technology for treatment of sludge
East Africa’s civil engineering market sees growth despite fragmentation
Are machines set to take over jobs?
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OUR ROOTZONE TECHNOLOGY
OUR ROOTZONE TECHNOLOGY PURIFIES YOUR DIRTY WATER PURIFIES YOUR DIRTY WATER
2 Nov - Dec 2017
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Contents www.infrastructure.co.ug | Nov - Dec 2017
The Infrastructure magazine is Published by
2nd Floor, Ntinda Shopping Centre P. O. Box 11670, Kampala, Uganda, Tel: +256 414 667 688; +256 700 665 775; Mob: +256 776 477 751; +256 723 665 775; E-mail: editor@infrastructure.co.ug; inquiry.acl@gmail.com; Website: www.infrastructure.co.ug www.acl.co.ug
Editor Simon E. Omoding Sub Editor Arthur Matsiko Writers Jacob Okwii Jackie Asasira Daniel Otto Guest Writers Christine Lagarde Laura Tyson Susan Lund Marketing Sales Team Leader Martin Okia Sales Executives Edrine Apolot George Lukwiya Grace Ajulong Lucia Nnalunga Intern Monica G. Ikol Design/Layout: Peter Mugeni /Slick Republic Limited ISSN: 2523-191X (print); ISSN: 2523-1928 (Online)
10 LEAD STORY
Fixing Uganda’s water and sanitation infrastructure deficit
04 Editorial: Of apples, oranges, water and 2018 06 News Round-up Special Report
08 East Africa’s civil engineering market sees growth despite fragmentation constraints Captains of Industry
14 Water planning should be high on every country’s political agenda - Khoo Teng Chye Innovation
18 Rootzone’s innovative bio-technology for treatment of sludge and wastewater Opinion
20 Borehole drilling is a cost-effective way to expand clean water access Feature
24 Uganda’s bright but under-exploited mining prospects View Point
27 Harnessing technology and innovation to transform Africa Feature
30 Are machines set to take over jobs?
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3 Nov - Dec 2017
From the Editor Of apples, oranges, water and 2018 Welcome to this edition of The Infrastructure magazine A friend recently challenged me. After commending me for “a good product” (this magazine), he asked that as the editor, who do I see as our fiercest competition in the market? My answer was: ‘no one!’ He was stunned by my response because he expected me to list newspaper pull-outs (on construction, infrastructure and oil), the proliferated magazines in this town, or some magazines published by various professional associations, or even newsletters published by some companies in the sector.
I
still believe it is none of those. Here is the explanation I gave my good friend: As The Infrastructure magazine, our focus is on the infrastructure sector. We do not cover the sector as a by-the-way; it is our single-minded focus (unlike others - that cover the sector by-the-way, their main remit being politics, general business, sports, etc). Because of that- and our unique strength as a team - we are able to give depth, insight, perspective and context to infrastructure, like nobody else (newspapers cover infrastructure with their lay, generalist reader in mind). We seek to remain objective in our judgment for the good of our readers and advertisers (unlike inhouse publications and publications by professional associations that pipe only their publishers’ interests). We are mindful of our mission to be an authoritative, deep, well-thought and high quality publication (unlike other magazines on the sector). We are not just a newsletter; we are a magazine, and that is our mission. That is the benefit to our readers; we take time to research, provide quality, package, and present in a satiating way.
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For advertisers as well, we remain the best value for money. Through our three platforms: print, e-magazine and online (website), we have a combined readership of no less than 500,000 per issue. Moreover, this readership comprises CEOs, MDs, managers, decision -makers on infrastructure, oil, gas, construction, etc in government, private sector, funding agencies and NGOs, among others. The cost per 1,000 of reaching decision-makers in the sector in this country (and our target is the East African region), is therefore lowest with us. Dailies move some tens of thousands of copies every day, but they have a 12-hour lifespan; busy people most of the time miss to read their newspaper, and the next day is always another day in the dailies’ world. We have a full 30 days or more on the shelf. Moreover, even after 30 days people keep their magazines (unlike newspapers). So, our life on the shelf (or on the table) and therefore opportunities for visibility, repeat reading, and reading by more people per copy is much longer
and higher with us. Besides, the highest concentration of the eyes of the decision-makers in the sector are found here (unlike in other media where they are spread through so many different interests). Conclusion? We remain apples amongst oranges. In this issue, we focus on water and sanitation infrastructure. This choice is born out of the fact that water and sanitation are central to development. No country can consider itself developed without a good clean water access and sanitation. Plus a lot more interesting stuff. We hope you enjoy. For any comments, views, do drop us a line: editor@infrastructure.co.ug. Wishing you a Merry X-mas and the very best for 2018! Simon E. Omoding Editor
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In the next Issue... We focus on roads, bridges and ferries; on the state of the national road network and related infrastructure. The government of Uganda target is to develop the key strategic roads to facilitate trade and extraction of oil. What is the success/progress in these efforts? Are you a service provider in the roads, bridges and ferries construction/ operations? Road engineering, consulting and construction service provider? Undertaken works on roads in urban, rural, highways? Supply goods and services related to road, bridges and ferries construction and operation? Manufacturer/supply equipment, materials, technologies, etc, used in the road network development? Involved in any part of the value chain to deliver a good road network in the country?
This is the opportunity for people who matter to see what you are doing. To participate in the next issue, get in touch: Tel: (+256) 700 665 775; (0) 414 667 688; (0) 776 477 751; Whats App: +256 (0) 752 665 775 E-mail: info@infrastructure.co.ug; inquiry.acl@gmail.com Website: www.infrastructure.co.ug @theinfrastructuremagazineUG
@TheinfUG
News Round-up
Dfcu Bank seeks to boost home loan portfolio
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s a way to increase the uptake of its home loans, dfcu Bank has accredited property developers from around the country to increase purchase of homes using loans, thereby boosting the bank’s home loan portfolio. Under this arrangement, sales staff of the accredited property developers will receive free monthly home loans training. This, dfcu Bank said, is expected to drive up property sellers’ closing chances by 80 per cent, as well as grow their network base across the country. Accredited property developers will also be able to access dfcu bank’s customer base as prospects for home loans. Denis Kibukamusoke, dfcu’s head of consumer banking, said; “As part of this program, dfcu Bank will offer the developers an opportunity to cross sell to its customer base of close to one million clients across its 67 branches.”
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Besides, the property developers will also be given an opportunity to network with the bank’s accredited service providers lawyers and insurance providers - who will offer their services to the network clients at discounted rates. This arrangement will increase sales and profitability of the property developers, while at the same time untying their capital.
dition, dfcu Bank will get developers funds within 10 working days of receiving complete documentation from the clients,” the bank said, in a statement.
Meanwhile dfcu also announced a reduction in the interest rate for home loans from 20 per cent to 17 per cent for borrowers in Uganda Shillings, and 10 per cent for US Dollar borrowers.
dfcu Bank has seen one of the most phenomenal growths by a Ugandan institution. Established in 1964 as a development finance institution, it has over the years been associated with many success stories in Uganda’s economy in various sectors including agribusiness, communication, education, health, manufacturing, tourism, real estate, mining, construction, transport, trade and commerce, among others.
The partnership is also expected to fasten the process for home buyers. “The enhanced home loans service will allow property developers to give feedback within 24 hours of receiving a lead; provide an indicative offer within 24 hours of receiving a financial card and bank statement and get an approval for a client within two days of receiving complete documentation. In ad-
In 1999, the company bought Uganda Leasing Company, renaming it dfcu Leasing. In 2000, it bought Gold Trust Bank, renaming it dfcu Bank, and started commercial banking. Dfcu Limited was listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange in 2004. In 2014, dfcu Bank acquired loans and deposits of Global Trust Bank. In 2017, it acquired some of assets and liabilities of Crane Bank.
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News Round-up
Etihad quits Entebbe, as Uganda drums up UAE investors Etihad Airways has announced that with effect from 25 March 2018, it will suspend flights to Entebbe International Airport. The airline has hitherto operated four weekly flights to Entebbe- on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Over the last three years, Uganda has been drumming up United Arab Emirates investors with attractive offers to come and invest in the country. It is not immediately clear what message the suspension of direct flights to Uganda will send to the prospective UAE investors. Etihad said, in a statement released in December, that the reason for the suspension was poor performance of the route - airline business parlance for low seat occupancy. Effectively, this means that the four weekly flights using Airbus 320 with 16 business and 120 economy class seats have so far failed to make business sense for the Abu Dhabi-based state -owned airline. Etihad is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.
What seemed clear from the start, however, was the mismatch between the objectives of the government and Etihad in introducing the flights. While Etihad was looking at filling their vessel seats from tourism business to Uganda, the government of Uganda on the other hand thought Etihad would fill its seats from investors in manufacturing, oil, gas, etc.
Tourism indeed seems to be the main driver of airlines destinations. For example, in December while Etihad announced suspension of the Uganda route, it increased the number of flights to Mahe, Seychelles from one flight daily to 11 flights a week over the holiday season.
Mobile phones’ increasing contribution to GDP growth of the population. In East Africa, Burundi and South Sudan tail with 3.8 million people (32 per cent) and 2.1 million people (16 per cent) respectively.
By 2020, mobile technologies and associated services are expected to generate US$ 142 billion, contributing 8.6 per cent of the GDP in Sub-Saharan African countries, according to the Mobile Economy Sub-Saharan Africa 2017 report. This rate is expected to grow as mobile phone use in the region continues to deepen. The report says in 2016 alone, mobile technologies and services generated US$ 110 billion, equivalent to 7.7 per cent of GDP of economic value in Sub-Saharan African countries.
public sector, with US$ 13 billion raised in 2016 in taxes.
The contribution of mobile technologies to the economies comes in different ways: from improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by increased take-up of mobile services. It also comes in form of jobs created. For example, the mobile ecosystem supported approximately 3.5 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa by the end 2016. In addition to the mobile sector’s impact on the economy and labour market, it makes a substantial contribution to the funding of the
Countries with better penetration saw higher benefits. In East Africa for example, industry penetration leader is Kenya with 28.3 million people hooked on mobile telephone - that is 59 per cent of its population. Kenya is followed by Rwanda with 6.3 million people on mobile phone - 52 per cent of the population. Tanzania comes third with 23.7 million people on phone - being 42 per cent of the population. Uganda comes fourth with 17 million people on mobile phone - 41 per cent
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At the continent level, Nigeria has the highest number of people hooked on the mobile phone - 86 million (45 per cent of the population), followed by South Africa with 37.5 million people (68 per cent of the population) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (21 million people - 26 per cent of the population). Hot innovation hubs in the region include Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The number of mobile broadband connections will reach half a billion by 2020, more than double the number at the end of 2016, and will account for nearly two thirds of total connections in the region. 3G will remain the dominant mobile broadband technology for the foreseeable future, but 4G adoption is rising rapidly following increasing network rollout.
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Special Report
Construction works on Karuma Dam. Big works like this are undertaken by foreign companies in East Africa.
East Africa’s civil engineering market sees growth despite fragmentation constraints By Daniel Otto
Growth in the African market for constructing on-land utility systems, highways and bridges, ports and airports and marine facilities has risen from 1.9 per cent year on year to 8.7 per cent, a report by a global research firm - The Business Research Company (TBRC), shows.
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he growth was realised in spite of the sub sector being held back by lack of capacity on the part of the players in the industry when it comes to undertaking some of the largest projects. This problem is global; over 90 per cent of the market is split among competitors with a less than 0.5 per cent share. East Africa is no exception. No East African company is among Africa’s largest 250 businesses. As a result, in East Africa as in other emerging economies, the largest projects go to foreign con-
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struction businesses and more use of worker rather than machinery is evident. TBRC is a market and consumer research company with an eye on a range of industries globally, with offices in the UK, US and India and consultants in over 20 countries globally The African market for heavy and civil engineering was worth under US$ 150 billion in 2016, but by 2021
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Special Report
Annual Population Urbanisation (Millions)
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Uganda Uganda
Kenya Kenya
Tanzania Tanzania
Ethiopia Ethiopia
Source: CAI World Fact Book, The Business Research Company
Annual Population Urbanisation (Millions)
the rapid acceleration in its growth will raise that to nearly US$ 225 billion, while the overall construction market in the region, which includes building and specialty trades, will hit over US$ 795 billion value.
Urbanization is the key factor Economic growth coupled with an increase in Africa’s urbanization is what will increase the demand for new residential and commercial buildings on the continent, leading to increased investment in transportation infrastructure, electricity, water networks, sewerage and sanitation plants.
9.00 9.00 8.00 8.00 7.00 7.00 6.00 6.00 5.00 5.00 4.00 4.00 3.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.00
Uganda Uganda
Kenya Kenya
Tanzania Tanzania
Source: CAI World Fact Book, The Business Research Company
Economic growth is another market driver
Large opportunities are expected to arise in countries such as Kenya, where nearly 2 million people are moving to the cities each year. It is a similar story in Uganda, where urbanization affects over 2 million people each year, and an even stronger one in Ethiopia, urbanizing at a rate of more than 8 million people a year.
Countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia are expected to drive economic growth in East Africa during 2017-21. Expansion of the economy will not only increase business activity in the region, it will also lead to a rise in diversification of investments, a rise in disposable income, and infrastructural development. For instance, Ethiopia has the region’s second largest population and is expected to witness an economic growth of 8 per cent. Similarly, Kenya is expected to grow at around 6 per cent up to 2021.
After Asia, Africa has the world’s second fastest growing urban population. It is estimated that by the mid-2030s, half of the region’s people will be living in cities.
Given these modernizing trends, growth in East Africa’s market for heavy and civil engineering construction is expected to at least keep up with the rest of Africa.
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Ethiopia Ethiopia
The African market for heavy and civil engineering was worth under US$ 150 billion in 2016, but by 2021 the rapid acceleration in its growth will raise that to nearly US$ 225 billion
9 Nov - Dec 2017
Cover Story
Fixing Uganda’s water and sanitation infrastructure deficit By Daniel Otto and Jacob Okwii
Turkish economist and former United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, Kemal Dervis, once observed that: “Throughout history, human progress has depended on access to clean water and on the ability of societies to harness the potential of water as a productive resource. Water for life in the household and water for livelihoods through production are two foundations for human development.”
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nd, just over 120 years ago, French poet, novelist and social critic, Victor Hugo, writing about the city of Paris in his work Les Miserables, quipped: “The sewer is the conscience of the city.” That is, the state of the sanitation of the city tells about its condition; its wellness or lack of it. Access to clean water and good sanitation are at the core of any country’s development. There is no country in the world that can claim being developed, yet exhibits low clean water access and poor sanitation. Lack of clean water and good sanitation are the single biggest cause of illness in developing countries; claiming more lives than HIV and malaria. Poor access to clean water and sanitation affects delivery and success of a cross-section of other development facets: Education, gender equality, incomes, health, etc. Recent studies, for example, show that
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there is, in fact, a relationship between a community’s ways of disposing excreta and its child survival rates. Communities that have better waste disposal systems have better infant survival rates. And the reverse is true for those with no or poor waste disposal. Other studies also show that better access to clean water and sanitation yields better nutrition outcomes in children under five. Although Uganda has made substantial investment in water and sanitation infrastructure over the years, there remain large parts of the country (and the population) that are unreached by clean water and decent sanitation. Some estimates by water.org, a rural water provision non-profit, put the total number of people not reached by clean water at 24 million - and by improved sanitation at 29 million (of the country’s 35 million people). By 2015, access to safe water in rural area stood at 65 per cent and 84 per cent in urban areas.
President Yoweri Museveni and Former Head of EU Delegation in Uganda, Amb. Schmidt inspect the Gaba Water Treatment Complex. (Photo: PPU)
This effectively means that this incomplete access to clean water and sanitation could scuttle the country’s progress, by paling the impact of all current major development investments. A look at the country’s water atlas shows that areas that have relatively better access to water - both for life (in the household) and for livelihood (production) have relatively better standards of living and better incomes. For example, for ages Karamoja one of the most water-stressed regions in the country has rested on constant, mobile pastoral search for water for
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Cover Story As a result, Kampala city and other urban areas face persistent problems of busted sewers, low capacity to manage sewage, limited safe water coverage, especially in low income areas. Consequently, there are growing sections of local sanitation solutions in the newly expanded urban areas, which are not connected to the main sewers; making management of sewage a big challenge. For example, use of latrines that are not connected to the main sewers in the city and other urban areas results into fecal contamination of ground water, and sometimes flowing into the rivers and lakes, thereby polluting water sources, jeopardizing public health, and making water purification expensive. In a sense one could say, the problem of water and sanitation in Ugandan urban areas is the same problem you would see in urban areas anywhere in the developing world, be it Manilla (Philippines), Jakarta (Indonesia), Nairobi (Kenya) or even Lima (Peru).
animals. The cost? Stubborn low education coverage, poor sanitation, highest poverty rates... Conversely, urban areas in the country that have relatively better water reach, show better health indicators, better incomes, and more productivity.
There is a relationship between a community’s ways of disposing excreta and its child survival rates. Communities that have better waste disposal systems have better infant survival rates.
Uganda’s challenge is not so much the availability of water. According to the ministry of Water and Environment mapping, the country’s annual renewable water resources are estimated at 43 billion cubic meters. The challenge is, therefore, the technology and infrastructure to purify and/or deliver the water from the sources to the consumers.
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The country’s water and sanitation infrastructure deficit can be variously divided into two; urban and rural. Kampala, like all the urban areas such as Mbale, Mbarara, Gulu, Soroti, Arua, Masaka and Jinja, faces similar water and sanitation challenges. Firstly, the infrastructure in those urban centres was developed during the colonial times, for a limited population. Today, rural-urban migration, general growth of the population, limited investment in the expansion of the infrastructure and its wearing out, combine to make water and sanitation infrastructure inadequate, stressed and sometimes bursting out.
Rural areas are, however, a different ball game. The biggest problem here is that there was never infrastructure in the first place. This means that extending clean water and sanitation services to the rural areas means a whole new investment which requires more money. Secondly, the kind of habitation in the rural areas where settlements are scattered makes infrastructure that brings service to people’s homes much more expensive. Rural settlements are done in such a manner that people go out to common water sources; rather than water sources bringing water to their door. Thirdly, returns on investment for rural water and sanitation infrastructure is very low; and therefore, private sector players take no interest in investing in it, leaving the whole challenge to the government to provide the service as a public utility/good.
Progress The government’s target is to reach 100 per cent Ugandans with clean and safe water by 2020 in urban areas, and cover 79 per cent in rural areas. However, at the moment, access to clean and safe water
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Cover Story
Nyarwodho Large Gravity Flow Scheme in Nebbi district. (Photo: MWE)
in rural areas stands at about 65 per cent and 74 per cent in urban areas. Several urban and rural water extension schemes are currently being developed, aimed at battling the challenge towards the Nation Development Plan targets. The real solution to the clean water and sanitation whammy lies in investment in technology and infrastructure to expanding and maintaining the water network. It also lies in the use of alternative and innovative technologies and putting in place measures to ensure efficiency; reduce water loss/ wastage, use technologies that address future water needs as well. Thirdly, it lies in keeping an eye on how climate change is affecting natural water cycle systems in the country.
The NWSC has embarked on systematic rehabilitation, upgrade and expansion of infrastructure through its bi-annual Infrastructure Service Delivery Plans (ISDP), with the aim of expanding the network and reducing water supply shortages over time.
Dr. Silver Mugisha, Managing Director, NWSC.
As a result, NWSC has expanded its service footprint from 24 to 208 towns in the last four years. “To achieve the target of 100 per cent service coverage, NWSC is implementing a project code named Service Acceleration Project (SCAP100) that will see 20,000 villages in 80 districts of Uganda get piped water by 2020,� Apedel said.
In Uganda, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) holds the mandate to deliver clean water and sanitation in urban areas and small towns in the country, while the government through the Ministry of Water and Environment maintains the mandate for rural water facilities. According to Samuel Apedel, the NWSC public relations manager, the corporation has adopted a new strategic plan in line with its expanded mandate. Under the new mandate, 150 towns were handed over from the ministry of Water and Environment to the NWSC. This means that now the corporation reaches 179 towns, serving 7.7 million people.
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Apedel told The Infrastructure magazine that in the 2014/2015 financial year, NWSC installed 1,448kms of water mains. He said the corporation completed a further 1,000kms of water mains in 2016/2017. Before this, the corporation extended between 80km to 100km per year.
Samuel Apedel, Public Relations Manager, NWSC.
Some of the key water and sanitation infrastructure projects being implemented by the corporation include upgrading and rehabilitation of the Gaba Water Treatment Complex, which was completed and handed over to NWSC in 2017. These works included rehabilitation of Gaba I and II treatment plants and new transmission mains from Gaba to Namasuba.
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Cover Story
Efforts in rural areas On its part, the ministry of Water and Environment that retains the mandate to deliver water and sanitation in rural areas, is making some progress as well. The most common technology options for rural water supply are protected springs, deep and shallow wells, boreholes, protected wells, and gravity flow schemes. Over the past few years, safe piped water has been extended to villages in Kololo-Afua (Adjumani), Gerere (Agago), Munduya (Busia), Atutur (Kumi) and Tojjwe (Buvuma Islands) - all of which were installed with solar-powered pumps. Many other areas have benefited from gravity water flow schemes, yet others have manual or powered boreholes.
What remains to be done
Bukwo water treatment plant in Bukwo district. (Photo: MWE)
Construction of the Katosi – Kampala Drinking Water Transmission Main is also currently getting under way, after a contractor Sogea-Satom was procured. These works include construction of Katosi Water Treatment Plant and Katosi Transmission System. Water works were also underway in Gulu, Mbale, Arua, Bushenyi, Soroti, Fort Portal, Kisoro and Kapeeka, among others.
According to UNICEF, 33 children die in Uganda every day because of diarrheal diseases. The UN children’s agency also says that up to 10 per cent of Uganda’s population still does open defecation. Besides, nearly 35 per cent of the population in rural areas has no access to clean water. In urban areas, about 20 per cent of the population has no clean water. This means that while the country has made some strides over the last decade or so, a lot more needs to be done, to extend infrastructure to areas that have not been reached, maintain existing network, and adopt innovative technologies to deliver clean water and improved sanitation.
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Interview
Chat with
Captains of Industry
Water planning should be high on every country’s political agenda In Uganda, it is a common anecdote to compare the country with the Singapore of the 1960s. Most of the times though, the comparison is in macro-economics- growth and development, GDP, etc. But what is unknown to many is that one area where Uganda and Singapore compared very significantly in the 1960s was water and sanitation. Again over the years, while Uganda has only moved baby-steps away from her problems of the 1960s, Singapore on the other hand has powered her way out to one of the global leaders in water management. Again, the trick in the dissimilarity between the two countries on urban water management, lies in governance and strategy. In this edition, we publish this insightful interview by Renee Martin-Nagle with Khoo Teng Chye, executive director, Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), and one time CEO of PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency. Here Khoo Teng Chye gives insights into where Singapore’s urban water planning has come from, where it is today, and its governance strategy that enabled the mega transformation.
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Interview How would you describe the changes you have seen in Singapore’s water landscape over the years? I lived through the early days of Singapore, in the early 60s, as a child. We were less than two million people then, and we receive plenty of rainfall–2.4 metres per year yet we had droughts in the dry months of February and March. In 1963, we ran out of water, and the government turned off taps for the most part of the day and initiated water rationing. But during the monsoon months of November and December we would have floods. And we had severe pollution – our rivers were really open sewers. We had over-crowding and tremendous traffic problems. We had all the problems of urbanization gone wrong.
Singapore marina barrage. (Photo: SG Press Centre)
Fifty years on, Singapore now has a population of 5.3 million, in essentially the same land area. We are considered one of the most liveable cities in the world. We are clean, we’re green, we are a dynamic city, and so on. So, of course, the issue is – what did we do right? That’s the question we asked ourselves four or five years ago. So the Centre for Livable Cities was set up (as a joint initiative of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the Ministry of National Development), because we felt that the approach that Singapore had taken to develop ourselves in a sustainable way should be studied, documented and shared. We want to build on that knowledge through research, and then create platforms and programmes for sharing that knowledge both in Singapore and through initiatives from other countries. What was Singapore’s approach to governance that caused it to go from what it was 50 years ago to one of the most livable cities in the world today? When we talk about governance, we talk about a number of things. One of course is leadership, and I think we were very fortunate to have a leader like Lee Kuan Yew, our first prime minister who was prime minister for many years, who was both vi-
Water purifiers under construction in Bushenyi District. (Photo: Vambeco Construction Ltd)
sionary as well as pragmatic. He had a clear idea of what Singapore ought to be and then had the ability to make that vision happen through his leadership. Water was very clearly identified by him as a top strategic priority for the nation, and he set up the water office in his prime minister’s office so that every single department in the government would see water as a priority. He got a young engineer, who subsequently became the chairman of PUB, to draw up a plan and help to execute that plan to make Singapore as self-sufficient as we possibly could be.
That’s the leadership part of governance. Then integrated planning flows from that. Look at the way that water has been managed in Singapore. Obviously, the supply side is extremely important, but so is the demand side. The other part of the equation is to look at water holistically as the whole water cycle. As a result of its strategic urban planning process, Singapore became one of the first cities in the world to harvest storm-water from urban catchments to supplement its water supply. How did Singapore manage this feat? If you look at supply, we were getting
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Interview water from our neighbour Malaysia. We had a few reservoirs that we inherited from the British, but the rain falling from the sky was being washed to the sea because we didn’t have the reservoirs to collect it. And the worst part of course was that a lot of the water got very polluted. It was an extreme problem of trying to create more reservoirs to collect and store the water, and making sure that water, before it gets to the reservoir, doesn’t get contaminated or polluted. This was not an isolated problem but one that required attention from land-use planners, environmental managers and housing authority to come up with an integrated approach. Hence, there was a need to work across different agencies to tackle these problems. Because of this integrated approach, we have become the first city in the world to do urban storm water harvesting on a scale that I don’t think anybody else does. In Singapore, the rain that falls on two-thirds of the land is collected now in 17 reservoirs, including the Marina Reservoir that is right in the heart of the city.
For a city that is beginning its approach to water sustainability, where would you suggest that they start? I think the starting point has to be clarity that water is very high on the political agenda of the city. If the city has a water problem, then water has to be treated as
Nov - Dec 2017
Water should be brought into the urban planning agenda in an integral way with urban planning, with urban design, rather than to see water planning as the domain of the water engineer. Integrated planning actually has got quite a number of aspects to it and uses a combination of policy action, research into new technology, and effective implementation systematically, not just by the water agency but in a coordinated way with multiple agencies.
Rootzone technology is a natural method of treating and cleaning industrial and domestic wastewater by use of a unique environmental root zone system.
And that’s not something that happened overnight but it has happened progressively over decades as we systematically experimented with one or two reservoirs and catchments and then gradually put in the right policies, laws, enforcement mechanisms and technology to make this happen. The solution involved a combination of policy action, research into new technology, and effective implementation, not just by the water agency but in a coordinated way with multiple agencies.
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a strategic priority. The political leadership has to take ownership of it and empower their planners and water engineers to be given the authority to do what is necessary, to take an integrated approach to manage the supply and demand of water, and to put in place the right policies, legislation, programmes and so on. That’s the most important thing that needs to be done.
If you want to make cities more livable and sustainable, and you want to tackle the water problems, the key is governance. If you get the governance right, most other things will fall into place.
Very often, urban planners plan a city looking at land use, traffic, greenery, but water, like other utilities – electricity, telecommunications, gas, and so on – is not given much attention. Water is an afterthought, and as a result we see all the negative impacts of water infrastructure in cities. I talk about monsoon canals and monsoon drains, and when they are not filled with water – which is most of the time because you don’t get heavy rain storms all the time – then they are ugly, concrete structures. You also have pipes and treatment plants that are unsightly. In our case we have the Marina Barrage in Singapore. If it had been left purely to water engineers, the barrage would have been a big ugly pump house. But because of the intervention of urban planners,
President Yoweri K. Museveni (with a hat), launches a new water plant in Dokolo District. On his right is the Water and Environment minister, Sam Cheptoris. (Photo: MWE)
the Marina Barrage has been beautifully redesigned with a green roof and other sustainable features. It’s become a wonderful community resource in Singapore. So if water can be brought up front into the urban planning agenda, then programmes like Singapore’s ABC Waters and other similar programmes in other cities will become more common throughout the world. Some cities – like Seattle, Philadelphia, Seoul, Tokyo, and cities in Australia — are beginning to see the value of planning for water resources in an integral way with other urban planning and urban design. If water planning is solely
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Interview cities are trying out different ideas, different solutions to tackle these challenges. I think they felt empowered, listening to other mayors trying to tackle their problems with interesting programs. There was a tremendous amount of peer sharing, of networking among the mayors. It was a very intense two days, but there was a tremendous sense of energy, of feeling that it was a very valuable exercise. All of them expressed keenness to continue the networking and the discussions in Singapore next year. These gatherings seem to be quite valuable. What other major events can we look forward to? It is extremely important for city leaders and water leaders from all over the world to come together. I am glad that we have done that several times, and that we will be doing it again. I think it will be a very exciting event that all of us from all over the world will look forward to and where city leaders can meet and share their knowledge, their solutions and their challenges.
the domain of water engineers, then water designs and water features that could enhance the urban experience get forgotten when cities are being planned. Were there things you found interesting at the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum? The biennial World Cities Summit is an exclusive platform for government leaders and industry experts to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions and forge new partnerships. Jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities and Urban Redevelopment Authority, key highlights of the Summit include the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, and the annual World Cities Summit Mayors Forum.
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When we bring city leaders to Singapore for events, we also ask them to bring projects they want to discuss with us, and invariably about half, or at least half, of the projects have to do with water or water and sanitation. That was the case also in Bilbao. We asked the mayors beforehand for one or two projects they would like to share with the other mayors, and about half of them had to do with water and sanitation. That is very significant that water is seen as something that is extremely important in the priorities of the mayors in many cities. I also got the sense that the mayors realised that their challenges are not unique to themselves, that there are many other cities facing the same challenges and that
What is one final message you would like to leave with our readers? Governance is key. If you want to make cities more livable and sustainable, and you want to tackle the water problems, the key is governance. If you get the governance right, most other things will fall into place. In Singapore, we were fortunate that we have had good governance. Once you have good governance, then you create an environment in which your agencies and institutions can flourish. You need all the players to be working together – the public sector, the government, the private sector, the companies, and the people. All have a role to play, and they have to work well together for you to be able to achieve sustainable outcomes. This interview was first published under a series on one-on-one interviews with global water industry leaders, Conversations with Water Leaders. *********** One of our objectives as The Infrastructure magazine is to look out for best practice around the world, to spur discussion in Uganda- and in the region- on how such best practices can be domesticated, or just provide insight to the local discourse on the issue.
17 Nov - Dec 2017
Innovation
Rootzone’s innovative bio-technology for treatment of sludge and wastewater By Our Staff Writer
In a milieu where stakeholders are acutely conscious of the need for environmental protection - and where compliance to standards is indispensable, management of industrial effluent is every factory manager’s nightmare. Bad effluent management practices can be costly to a company. Pollution and destruction of the environment from a firm’s activities can lead to reputation damage thereby compromising good corporate citizenship that every company seeks to achieve. A company with bad effluent management practices risks paying a lot in fines and damages, let alone - in the worst case scenario - getting shut down by authorities.
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t is for that reason that innovations such as Rootzone technology are a welcome and timely development for both industrial and domestic management of effluent. The Rootzone technology, developed by Transform Aps of Denmark, is a natural bio-technology for treatment of sludge and wastewater. The technology involves manipulating and controlling nature to optimize natural conditions and functions for treatment of sludge and wastewater.
zone Technique, started in 1984 and TransForm af 1994 ApS, in 1995- both by a Dane, Jorgen Logstrup. TransForm af 1994 ApS (Rootzone Africa) majors in developing, designing, supervising and deploying natural systems for water, air and waste treatment and in urban ecology. Bacess, a partner of Transform, produces, markets and sells patented air treatment systems. Patent EP 1356239B1 is in Jorgen Logstrups name and is recognised in Europe, USA, Canada, China, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
Rootzone technology is a natural method of treating and cleaning industrial and domestic wastewater by using a unique environmental root zone system. The technology has been used in different industries, including in oil and petrochemical sector, mining, sewage and sludge, among others.
The root zone method was developed way back in the 1950’s and improved in the following years. The technology is based on the fact that certain soil types have a high adsorption capacity of phosphorous. The root zone/filter plant is a biological filter, where the biological treatment of wastewater takes place in a soil volume, which is penetrated by roots. The root network is composed of suitable plant species. The technology is even more beneficial if the optimum varieties of these species are selected. This structure implies that the wastewater flows horizontally
Rootzone Africa (TransForm af 1994 ApS) is a consulting company specialised in environmental engineering. The company consists of the old company, Danish Root-
18 Nov - Dec 2017
Top: A Rootzone official explains how the technology works to KCCA Executive Director, Jeniffer Musisi. Above: Pupils visit the Rootzone stall during an exhibition.
through the soil mass. However, also vertical flows are a part of the process. The technology allows reeds to grow and filter the water and uptake the carbon dioxide naturally with the help of other filtering mediums, microbiology organisms and oil absorbents in a water plant,
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Innovation
The technology can take a period of 20 years in operation as long as the plant is under proper maintenance. The duration, however, depends on the thickness of wastewater being recycled in the plant. James Mawa, a water engineer at Rootzone Africa, told The Infrastructure magazine that their technology uses biological energy with no or minimal electricity depending on the needs and location of the plant. The system is cost-effective to operate and maintain, and is environmentally friendly with no use of chemicals involved, as it relies on natural methods and eco-neutralization by photosynthesis.
Furthermore, the technology can be used in different scales for different purposes. Farmers and industrialists, among others, will find this innovative technology necessary to cut their costs of operations. Depending on the amount of wastewater discharged by an entity, a wastewater treatment plant can cost from a minimum of Shs 13 million. This is for the treatment volume of 3,000 to 10,000 liters of wastewater per day. The good side of this technology is that it provides its clients with good customer care including those who may not be having ready money to purchase the plant.
Rogers Waiswa, a sales agent, told this Mawa said for the technology to stay lonmagazine that the cost of ger without major servicing, hire depends on the size the user agency must enof the wastewater plant sure a less thick mud which Rootzone which one is intending to defines the speed in which technology is a rent, according to their the biological organisms natural method needs. Even more importmineralize and in which the of treating ant is that the plant is microorganisms will break and cleaning moveable and can be relodown the wastewater hence industrial cated to any site. forming reusable water. “If the wastewater is less viscous, the technology can run up to the minimum of 20 years without major servicing,” he said.
and domestic wastewater by use of a unique environmental root zone system.
The company, which has received various recognitions from the European Union, offers a variety of services ranging from technical advisory to supervision, maintenance and redesigning the technology to suite the future demands of the client. hence, excessive carbon emissions into the atmosphere is more or less eliminated. The technology system uses reed beds which are planted in skips. The wastewater is then fed into the reed bed and it penetrates through organic pollutants broken down by microorganisms in the root systems of the reeds. Heavy metals are then fixed as insert crystalline substances in the substrate and held within the container as the clean water drains a way ready for reuse.
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With Rootzone technology, local labor and local raw materials are used in the construction and installation of the water plant. The most important aspect of the technology is that the local raw materials are readily available, and more cost -effective. The technology comes with a solution to solid waste with high recovery of water for reuse; hence, reducing on the utility bills.
“Entities who would like to save on water consumption and at the same time have an environment friendly process but are unable to buy right away, can rent the treatment plant at an affordable price,” said Waiswa.
Rootzone technology processes the sludge produced by wastewater treatment by breaking it into useful organic matter and nutrients for other uses like agriculture. Established in 1994, the Rootzone technology has been put to use in many countries across different continents. In Africa, the technology has been used in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda. In Uganda, the Kasese Cobalt Company deployed the technology to clean up the sludge from the Kilembe Copper Mines in 2004.
19 Nov - Dec 2017
Opinion
Borehole drilling is a cost-effective way to expand clean water access By Mathew Kasujja
Borehole drilling is a very important low cost option for delivering safe and clean water to communities, especially in high-water table environments like Uganda. It, therefore, needs to be augmented especially as a cheap alternative to water supply in rural communities across the country.
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This is carried out for around 10 hours.
oreholes/wells are ubiquitous throughout the world and, since ancient times, have provided countless water supply points. Water drilling can provide highly affordable improved groundwater sources for households and communities for both domestic and productive use. According to Eng. Mike Buwembo of Kasthew Water Drilling Uganda Ltd., water boreholes in Uganda have been drilled up to 150meters of depth. After obtaining a good/recommended water yield - normally of about 1,000 – 3,000 litres per 1 hour, implying 10,000 – 30,000 litres per day. When pumped for 10 hours, the borehole can then be properly installed with either an electric pump (submersible-pump) or a hand pump. For those drilled in rural communities, a strong casting platform to enable easy pumping of water by the users is installed. The borehole is usually completed with a sealing slab and the surrounding apron with a drain.
Water Drilling Process: The borehole drilling process is mainly divided into three phases;
Third Phase-Installation - Boreholes are installed by either a motorized pump (submersible pump) or manual hand pump. The motorized one requires a power-source to power the pump. The manual borehole is installed with a hand pump, which normally works in rural communities without electricity. Mathew Kasujja is a director of Kasthew Borehole Drilling Co. Ltd Email: kasthew@ gmail.com; www. kasthewdrilling.co.ug
The borehole is then ready for commissioning and use. Water/borehole drilling is extremely effective in appropriate ground conditions. They are, however, not suitable beyond their hydro-geological limitations. Since it’s axiomatic that man’s existence on earth is dependent upon water, the rejuvenation of underground water/ drilled boreholes in Uganda ought to be the first step towards a sustainable safe and clean water supply for Uganda’s developing economy, especially in the attainment of the millennium development goals, by bringing safe and clean water to communities.
First Phase - Hydro-geological Survey: This involves a hydrologist conducting a resistivity testing and locating spots on site with a suitable water table ready for drilling. Second Phase - Drilling and Development: This is the most crucial stage. Drilling may be air drilling with the use of a compressor or mud drilling. After drilling, the borehole is cased with both screen-pipes and plain casing pipes. Borehole development is then advanced by washing the hole. This is done through blowing out water by the compressor, to clean the color of the water, over several hours. Pump-testing then follows, which is conducted to ascertain the water yield of the just drilled boreholes.
20 Nov - Dec 2017
Borehole drilling. (Photo: Kasthew Drilling)
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Feature
Uganda’s bright but underexploited mining prospects By Jackie Asasira and Jacob Okwii
Isingiro Tin Mine, located in Isingiro district in south-western Uganda has potential to be the biggest producer of Tin in East Africa. According to African Panther Resources, the company licensed to prospect and mine the mineral, geological surveys, sampling, pitting and trenching, have all confirmed the commercial viability of the Isingiro Tin Mine Project. Tin is one of six base metals used to make alloys. Alloys are amalgamated metals with better and harder characteristics used in industry and technology. The other base metals are Aluminum, Copper, Lead, Nickel and Zinc.
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in is particularly known for being light in weight, malleable, flexible and therefore used in making solders (alloys for joining metals together), in electronics like smartphones, tablets, televison sets, among. It is also used in tin-plating, that is coating other metals to give that corrosion resistant, light weight character. In the world market, a tonne of Tin goes
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for about US$ 19,400 (approximately UShs 70 million). Uganda is not by any stretch of imagination one of the top world producers of the metal. China leds the pack with 100,000 metric tonnes annually. In Africa, only the Democratic Republic of Congo makes it to the top 10 countries in the world at 5,200 metric tonnes a year. Nonetheless, a few tones will go a long way to inject the badly needed foreign exchange
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Feature into Uganda’s economy. Tin deposits are also believed to be in the areas of Ntungamo and Mbarara. In eastern Uganda on the Bukusu hills in the Mbale-Tororo area is the Namekara Vermiculite Mine. The Namekara Vermiculite deposits are found in the Bukusu complex, a carbonite area stranding the Uganda/Kenya border. According to Namakera Vermiculite Mining Company, “Vermiculite is the mineralogical name given to a group of naturally occurring hydrated laminar minerals, which are magnesium-aluminum-iron silicates. When subjected to heat, vermiculite has the property of expanding. The expanding process converts the dense flakes of ore into lightweight porous granules containing numerous minute air layers. The exfoliation characteristic is the basis for the commercial use of vermiculite.” According to Namekara Vermiculite Mining Company, the eastern Uganda mine is believed to hold one of the largest and best quality vermiculite in the world. Today, Namakera Mining Company exports about 30,000 tonnes of Vermiculite to various markets. Vermiculite is used in both industrial and agricultural firms. It is used in fireproofing, high temperature refraction, acoustics, etc. Isingiro Tin and Namakera vermiculite are but just two of the mineral resource sites that Uganda is exploding at the moment. According to a 2008 US Geological Survey report, “Uganda’s resources of more than
Rock with copper element.
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Works in Namekara Vermiculite Mine.
50 minerals rank it among the countries in Africa that have large numbers of minerals. The country had many areas that were thought to have potential for the occurrence of minerals but that have remained relatively unexplored despite the country’s long history of production.” Uganda is known to have/produce copper-Cobalt (in Kasese, areas of Karamoja, Mbarara, Bushenyi), iron ore (in Kabale, Kisoro, Mayuge and Hoima), gold (Busia, Mubenda, karamoja districts, Buhweju and Bushenyi) phosphates (Tororo, Karamoja), tungsten, Tin (Isingiro,Mbarara, Ntungamo), beryl (Rukungiri, Bushenyi, Ntungamo). Other earth resources Uganda is known to have include: Tantalum, niobium, kaolin, limestone and oil, among many others.
Between 1950 and 1960, mining contributed 30 per cent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings. This evolution came into a halt over the years because of a combination of factors ranging from the political turmoil of the 1970s that swept the country, leading to exodus of the skilled work force out of the country. The fall in the global prices of minerals equally contributed to the underexploitation of the mining sector. Also after independence in 1962, not much investment went into development of mining. Uganda has continued to leave mining to artisanal, small to medium scale establishments, which has seen mining out of policy focus and therefore carried out in an unorganized manner. By 2009/2010, the contribution of mining to the GDP was a paltry 0.3 per cent. As a result, the sector has been neglected and, therefore, diminishing its returns to the national economy. A report published by global watchdog Global Witness in June 2017 said, “While much emphasis has been placed on oil exploration in Uganda, the mining sector has been largely neglected to date. The country is likely to be mineral rich and the mining industry, which is still in its infancy, could generate billions of dollars in revenues and significant employment opportunities for Uganda.” The absence of a strong government lead-
23 Nov - Dec 2017
Feature ership and policy direction in the mining sector has led to mismanagement, corruption, informality and neglect. A Global Witness 2017 report discovered that Uganda’s mining sector has been massively infiltrated by corruption, influence peddling, capture by certain actors, all of which conspire to frustrate efforts to reform and institutionalization of the sector. Uganda’s mining industry has the potential being one of the leading sectors contributing to the GDP, employment, foreign exchange, etc. However, for this to happen, there need to be strong government leadership of the sector, strong policy regulatory framework, a strong government hand to implement reforms and institutionalization. It might be useful to look at the Tanzania example. Tanzania is one of the countries that deliberately took effort to reform their mining sector, and is today reaping good fruits from those reforms.
Machinery at Namekara Vermiculite Mine.
Tanzania’s mining reform, however, started in 1986 as part of a large but gradual adjustment programme that began with the objective of moving the country from a control economy to one led by the private sector. The first important step for mining was the 1990 National Investment Promotion Policy, which, among other things, removed the requirement for government equity
Like the case was in Uganda before independence in 1961, mining played an important role in Tanzania’s development. Mining conLike the tributed up to 10 per cent case was in of the GDP. This was solely Uganda, before because in the colonial days, independence mining was in the hands of individual colonial entreprein 1961, mining neurs. In the 1960s, the minplayed an eral industry in Tanzania was important role nationalized and as a result, in Tanzania’s foreign investors left. development.
A Mining Sector Review undertaken by the government of Tanzania (GoT) with Bank assistance in 1990 led to a Mining Sector Policy Framework in 1994. Its key areas of reform were: reforming mining laws; overhauling the regulatory framework; inMining stituting a fiscal regime that STAMICO, Tanzania’s State contributed up would encourage exploration National Mining Corporation to 10 per cent of and exploitation of minerals; took over the mines in 1972, the GDP. formulating environmensuperintending the collapse tal policies, standards, and of mining in the country. Acmonitoring arrangements for cording to a World Bank relarge-scale and artisanal mining; divesting port, by 1992 industrial mining in Tanzania the stat-owned mining companies; and only employed about 3,000 people and exstrengthening the institutional and human ported minerals worth only US$ 8 million. capacity of the Mineral Resources DepartIn the meantime, artisanal mining grew, ment. In 1994, the Mining Sector TA Projwhere employment was at least 100,000 ect was launched in order to help the GoT miners and exports were between US$ 50 fulfill these goals. and 100 million per year.
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By 2004, four years after the project ended, gold production was 1.4 million ounces and total mining export revenues were US$ 674 million. Six large industrial mines were in production or construction, and there were over 3,000 large-scale prospecting licenses. Private investment in mining from 2001 to 2008 averaged over US$ 250 million per year. In 2007, the mining sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 3.5 per cent (versus 1.5 per cent in 2000) and export revenues were over US$ 1 billion. Direct employment in the formal mining sector was 13,000 in 2007. Direct tax revenues from the mining sector were about 4 per cent of total fiscal revenues in 2007 and are projected to be about 7 per cent by 2017 (US$ 284 million). While these core handicaps to the sectors are addressed, government also needs to pay attention to the extraneous factors . These include; limited foreign investment in the sector, lack of the standard railway infrastructure to carry bulky minerals to the coast, as well as insecurity in mineral rich areas. By the beginning of 2010, there were 517 licenses issued to private mining companies. These licenses, while spread across country, mostly concentrated in areas of southwestern and southeastern Uganda.
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Road accidents: Shift blame to road designers, not drivers
Analysis
By Our Staff Writer
Every time an accident happens on our roads, traffic police are quick to blame over-speeding, drink driving, reckless driving or carelessness on the part of the pedestrian/motorist. That is to say, blame is always placed on human error. Now, a new research says humans make mistakes anyway, and so authorities need to move away from laying blame on the road users, and shift it to the road makers, city planners and road designers.
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en Welle, Anna Bray Sharpin, Claudia Adriazola, and others, in their work published by the World Resources Institute argue that if countries make this paradigm shift, road accidents will be considerably reduced.
The approach called the “Safe System” has already demonstrably worked in countries like Sweden, which brought down road accidents from 55 per cent in 1994 to a mere 3 per cent in 2015. It has also worked in Norway, Netherlands, among other countries. In the developing world, the city of Bogota (Colombia) and New Mexico (Mexico) have already adopted this approach with evident success. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1.25 million people die in road accidents annually, 90 per cent of them in developing, low-income countries. Road accidents are lower in developed countries. Moreover, research shows that countries lose up to 5 per cent of their GDP to road accident fatalities and morbidity every year. Uganda’s ministry of Works and Transport in their 2016/17 annual report said 9,575 people died in road accidents between 2014 and 2017. This implies that the country loses, on average, 3,000 people every year and 250 every month, to road accidents. The researchers say: “The Safe System approach is based on a more foundational understanding of the underlying causes of traffic fatalities and serious injuries, particularly human fallibility and vulnerability and the responsibility of governments to protect their citizens.” “This approach,“ they add, “is based on
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the principle that errors are inevitable, but traffic fatalities and serious injuries should not be. The road system should be designed so that human error does not have a serious or fatal outcome.”
Roads should be designed for safety by use of humps, protected pedestrian medians, making roads narrower in high population areas and improving road marking.
This approach proposes that: Firstly, roads should be designed for safety by use of humps, protected pedestrian medians, making roads narrower in high population areas and improving road marking. All of these help to lower speed and reduce the risks of accidents - or if accidents happen, the rates of survival of victims is high. Research shows that a person hit by a car driving at 30 Km per hour has 90 per cent chances of survival. If a car driving at 50 Km per hour hits the same victim, their chances of survival fall to 15 per cent; i.e. the higher the speeds, the lower the chances of survival. The second measure to reduce road carnage, according to Ben Welle and team, is creating a reliable and comfortable public
transport system. Evidence shows that accidents tend to be higher where use of private cars is higher. In other words, countries with a well-developed public transport system register lower accidents on their roads. And the logic; is simple, the more the people on the road, in private cars, the higher the likelihood of making human errors. Creating an effective and comfortable public transport system will draw many commuters to the public transport, thereby abandoning the idea of everyone having to drive a personal car. The third element for the effectiveness of “Safe System” is to ensure urban planners, road designers, engineers, medical personnel, enforcement agencies (traffic police), work in tandem. Improving roads by the urban authorities or designing of the roads by engineers without involving the enforcement agencies, for example, most times only serve to bring more chaos into the urban centres, raising chances of accidents.
25 Nov - Dec 2017
Analysis
26 Nov - Dec 2017
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View Point
Harnessing technology and innovation to transform Africa Between December 13 and 16, 2017, the IMF managing director, Christine Lagarde, made a flying visit that took her to three African countries: Benin, Ethiopia and Djibouti. While in Ethiopia on December 15th, she spoke at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) about the opportunities provided by technology to cause transformation in Africa. We bring you edited excerpts from her remarks:
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visited the eastern industrial park in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). It was fascinating to see how technology of all kinds needs public involvement and good public-private sector partnerships to succeed. There is a direct link between roads, education and health systems and innovation. It is a powerful reminder that technological innovation requires a strong foundation to flourish. This is what I am going to speak about: Impact of technology for the economies of Africa and the new opportunities being created for the next generation. Historic demographic changes require us- all of us- to focus on youth and assess the impact of these changes. This is a moment where young people can take their destinies into their own hands. In fact, youth in Africa already comprise 75 per cent of the working age population. By 2030, over half of new workers entering the global labour force will come from Africa. With the right strategy, the demographic dividend can bring prosperity. This incredible surge could translate into a virtuous cycle of economic growth and development. Clearly, technology does not hold all the answers. In fact, technology often raises new questions, including about the impact of automation. But there is no doubt that technology is an important part of the story. Technology is already shaping “Africa Now.” And with the right investments, it can be a powerful tool to help build stronger economies for “Africa in the Future.” Harnessing the promise of technology is one way we can accelerate economic and social development.
The Right Environment for Technological Innovation Too often, we see the endgame of innovation. A drone that delivers medical supplies in the Rwandan countryside, saving resources and more importantly
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saving lives. Or a social network for farmers in Uganda that creates an online forum for sharing crop information.
Christine Lagarde.
As more citizens access credit and achieve basic economic security, opportunities develop, aspirations grow, and a brighter future comes within reach. It also a critical factor in order to improve trust.
We tend to overlook the conditions that helped foster innovation and allowed it to grow. Consider financial integration, where new technology has expanded access to credit across Africa. One of the prime examples is banking. In 2015, nearly 35 per cent of the adult population in sub-Sahara Africa had a mobile money account, the highest per centage in the world. While Kenya is a leader in mobile banking, other countries are catching up. In Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, and many others, people are now more likely to have a mobile money account in these countries than a traditional bank account. In short, it can mean the difference between being empowered and being marginalized. As more citizens access credit and achieve basic economic security, opportunities develop, aspirations grow, and a brighter future comes within reach. It also a critical factor in order to improve trust. Mobile banking can help eliminate the middle man and create more confidence throughout society. The same is true when it comes to infrastructure investment. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to the development of manufacturing in Africa is the lack of sufficient and reliable electricity. Hundreds of millions of people on the continent live without access to power on any given day. Solar energy is one tool that is making a difference. In the last few years, tens of thousands of people in Ghana and Tanzania have been brought online thanks to new solar businesses. M-kopa, a Kenyan energy company, sells solar panels to rural homes for a small deposit, with the remainder paid off over the course of a year through mobile banking.
27 Nov - Dec 2017
View Point
The system has brought electricity to over half a million homes - helping remote areas come online while extending credit to those who need it the most. Energy investment is a focus throughout Africa. In Burkina Faso, in Zambia, in Benin, new solar stations are already in development. In Morocco, construction is underway on a facility that will become one of the largest solar power plants in the world. These projects will help Africa close its infrastructure gap, which is estimated to be over US$ 90 billion annually. And they are most likely to succeed when the public and private sector work together. That is one of the reasons that the IMF is supporting the Compact with Africa, a joint project between the G20 and seven African nations so far, which is designed to boost private sector investment and create jobs. When it comes to jobs, it is the foundational elements, including access to credit, good infrastructure, education and training that so often form a springboard for even more innovation. With these elements in place, a true world of opportunity can open up. In October, I was excited to meet the head of a company called Andela that considers Africa “home to the largest untapped talent pool” and is training and matching African workers to help U.S. companies fill shortages in tech jobs such as programming.
Christine Lagarde (2-R) tours a shoe factory at the Eastern Industrial Park in Addis Ababa.
Just recently, a group of young entrepreneurs in Togo, who were supported by a community innovation lab, developed the first 3-D printer made entirely of electronic waste. They saw a problem in their city — digital junkyards full of cell phones and laptops discarded from other parts of the world — and they had an idea.
those young inventors had not been given the skills and resources to pursue their passion. This is where governments can make a difference. Not only by creating a foundation for innovation, but also by streamlining regulations so that everyone plays by the same rules and entrepreneurs are rewarded for their ingenuity.
They would turn that waste into a powerful machine. Now they plan to put 3-D printers in every school within a kilometer of the lab, in the hopes of sparking students’ imagination and creating a lifelong interest in technology.
It is not the only thing that governments can do. From my point of view having spent twenty-five years of my life in the private sector, I have seen the ways governments can ensure that there is access to markets and more competition. This is what creates more innovation and more productivity.
None of this would have been possible if
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And not only can governments do more to encourage innovation, they can also help lead the way themselves by supporting basic research.
How governments can leverage digital tools IMF analysis in our recently published book, Digital Revolutions in Public Finance, shows that across the developing world, countries could save around one per cent of GDP by updating their government payment systems from cash to digital. In some places in Africa the potential is even higher. In Nigeria, for example, we estimate that a government move to digital payments could save between US$ 5
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View Point
is also about creating more transparency, promoting stronger accountability, and in the end, delivering a better life for every citizen. We are already seeing the positive impact of technology today for government services, private transactions, and the way we live our lives. The potential to help reduce corruption, increase revenues, and generate investments in health and education means digital tools could be a decisive factor in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The voice of the IMF will be part of that process. The IMF is committed to working with all of our members in Africa, as well as our regional and international partners, to help reach these goals. And to help meet the economic goals for the entire continent. To get there, we will need a little creative thinking.
to 9 billion, or about 1.7 per cent of GDP.
The IMF is committed to working with all of our members in Africa, as well as our regional and international partners, to help reach these goals. And to help meet the economic goals for the entire continent.
Let me conclude by drawing upon the wisdom of a friend and leader who has inspired so many in Africa — and all over the world — President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She once said, “The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.”
Between 2011 and 2014, the Ministry of Education in Cote D’Ivoire shifted all tuition payments from cash to digital. The result was fewer lost fees, less fraud, and new investments in the school system.
When governments put technology into practice millions of people can be helped. Think of Sierra Leone. During the Ebola outbreak, some emergency responders had to leave their patients for days to go and collect payments from a regional office. By introducing a mobile wallet system, the government was able to save lives and better allocate resources where they were needed the most.
In Ghana, a pilot programme of a new block chain platform called bitland is being used to record land sales. In the future, land disputes may be easily and more quickly settled out of court.
The possibilities go beyond paychecks.
So this is not just about saving money, it
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When I travel in Africa, I never worry that the dreams of the next generation are not big enough. They are. The only question is how can we help create the environment where those dreams will have a chance to come true. Diversification of economies is one way. Harnessing technology is another. We can do it, there is a path to do it, and it is called cooperation - Cooperation between public and private sectors, cooperation between people, and cooperation between multilateral institutions such as the IMF and UNECA. The IMF looks forward to continuing to be a partner in this journey.
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Technology
Are
machines set to take over jobs? It has been said that over the last 500 years, the world has gone through three economic eras: the first was the pre-industrial era, where humans used their hands and feet to directly extract food from nature using crude gathering and hunting, agricultural methods.
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he second era was the industrial economy that brought about the explosion of the use of machines to replace drudgery in man’s basic hands and feet. This era brought the industrial revolution that has brought the world to the massive production and therefore unprecedented wealth and consumption and economic development seen up to the end of the century. Today the industrial revolution is giving way to the digital and data era where digitization, automation, artificial intelligence are the vogue. The machines are increasingly moving away from a mix of human operation of powered machines to intelligent machines that perform roles hitherto thought to be doable only by intelligent humans. In fact, the machines are performing those roles faster, more efficiently and better than humans, which has raised questions about the future of work for humans. Almost every aspect of our economies will be transformed by artificial intelligence and automation in the coming years. But, Laura Tyson and Susan Lund, argue in this article that history and
30 Nov - Dec 2017
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Technology
creases in demand for goods and services – driven primarily by rising incomes, the growing healthcare needs of aging populations, and investment in infrastructure, energy efficiency, and renewables – enough new jobs are likely to be created to offset job losses. But the new jobs will differ mightily from the jobs displaced by automation, imposing painful transition costs on workers, businesses, and communities.
economic theory suggest that fears about technological unemployment, are misplaced. Intelligent machines are transforming the way we produce, work, learn, and live throughout the world. Almost every aspect of our economies will be radically altered. Major logistics companies and individual drivers are using new technologies to optimize their route planning. Companies like BMW and Tesla have already released self-driving features in their automobiles, which are produced with the help of sophisticated robots. The Associated Press is using artificial intelligence to help write news stories. 3D printers are being used to produce replacement parts – for both machines and humans. AT&T, in collaboration with Udacity, is offering online “nanodegrees” in data analytics. Drones are delivering health supplies to remote locations in poor countries. These marvelous new technologies promise higher productivity, greater efficiency, and more safety, flexibility, and convenience. But they are also stoking fears about their effects on jobs, skills, and wages. Feeding these fears is a recent study by the University of Oxford’s Carl Frey and Michael Osborne, and another by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), which find that large shares of employment in both developing and developed countries could technically be automated. History and economic theory, however, suggest that anxieties about technological unemployment, a term coined by John Maynard Keynes nearly a century ago, are misplaced. In the future, as in the past, technological change is likely to fuel productivity gains and income growth, boosting demand for labor. Add to that lower prices and rising quality, and demand for goods and services will also increase. Many of the jobs created cannot even be imagined today,just as few people a century ago could have anticipated that automobiles would give rise to drivethrough restaurants and roadside motels. A new MGI report finds that under a moderate scenario for the speed and breadth of automation, about 15% of the global workforce, or 400 million workers, could be displaced between 2017 and 2030. A faster pace of automation would trigger greater displacement. The good news is that because of projected in-
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Laura Tyson, a former chair of the US President’s Council of Economic Advisers
Susan Lund, partner of McKinsey and Company and a leader at the McKinsey Global Institute.
Intelligent machines are transforming the way we produce, work, learn, and live throughout the world. Almost every aspect of our economies will be radically altered.
Depending on the pace of automation, 75-375 million workers, or 3-14 per cent of the global workforce, will need to change occupational categories by 2030. In the United States and other developed economies where automation is likely to occur more rapidly, 9-32 per cent of the workforce may need to change occupational categories and the skills associated with them. In these countries, jobs in major occupational categories like production and office support, and jobs requiring a high school education or less, are likely to decline, while jobs in occupational categories like health and care provision, education, construction, and management, and jobs requiring a college or advanced degree, will increase. According to one Pew survey, the majority of Americans are concerned that automation will increase income inequality. Their concern appears warranted. As many middle-wage occupations succumb to automation, income polarization in the US and other developed countries is likely to continue. If workers displaced by automation are unable to find new jobs quickly, frictional unemployment will rise, putting downward pressure on wages. So, what can be done to speed and ease the occupational transitions that automation will compel? For starters, fiscal and monetary policies to sustain full-employment levels of aggregate demand are critical. Policies to promote investment in infrastructure, housing, alternative energy, and care for the young and the aging can boost economic competitiveness and inclusive growth, while creating millions of jobs in occupations likely to be augmented, rather than displaced, by automation. A second response must be a dramatic expansion and redesign of workforce training programs. Over the past two decades, government outlays for skills training and labor-market adjustment have fallen in
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Technology
ing. Sending people for two-year degrees at their own expense is not the answer. Instead, nanodegrees and stackable credentials are likely to gain in importance. German-style apprenticeships combining These trends must be reversed. Lifelong classroom work and praclearning needs to become tical work, and enabling a reality. Jobs will change as In the future, participants to earn a salamachines take over some ry while learning, could be tasks, and human activities as in the past, important solutions even will require different skills. technological for middle-aged displaced Mckinsey Global Institute’s change is workers. Collaboration beanalysis shows that highlikely to fuel tween companies and eduer-level cognitive abilities productivity cational institutions, as AT&T – such as logical reasoning, gains and (on whose board one of the stronger communication income growth, authors serves), Starbucks, skills, and enhanced social boosting and other firms are showing, and emotional skills – will bedemand for can provide workers with the come more important, while labor. Add new or enhanced skills that machines take over routine to that lower are increasingly needed. capabilities common in the prices and workplace today, including in Tax and other incentives to cognitive tasks like data colrising quality, encourage more business inlection and processing. and demand vestment in workforce trainfor goods and ing, especially by small and For mid-career workers with services will also medium-size companies, may children, mortgages, and increase. be necessary. Governments other financial responsibilwill also need to offer univerities, training that is measal and portable social benesured in weeks and months, fits like health care, child care, and retirenot in years, will be necessary, as will fiment security, as well as transition support, nancial support to undertake such trainmost OECD countries. That has been compounded in the US by a sizeable decline in business spending on training as well.
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to workers who are forced to change jobs, occupations, and employers frequently. Sweden’s job-security councils, run by the private sector and funded by a payroll tax on companies, provide displaced workers with a comprehensive suite of income support, training, coaching, and assessment with caseworkers. Like previous technologies, automation today promises major productivity gains, benefiting individuals, communities, and societies. But, for millions of workers, the path to an increasingly automated future could be long and difficult. It is up to us to make the policy and investment choices that can ease the transition, reduce its costs, and ensure that the income gains are equitably shared. Laura Tyson, a former chair of the US President’s Council of Economic Advisers, is a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, a senior adviser at the Rock Creek Group, and a member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Gender Parity. Susan Lund is a partner of McKinsey and Company and a leader at the McKinsey Global Institute. Source: Project-Syndicate
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“If you want to understand how a lion hunts, don’t go to the zoo. Go to the jungle”– JIM STENGEL
That is why if you are in the infrastructure business:
Construction materials & equipment manufacture & supply, construction & civil works, Energy, water & sanitation, oil & gas, engineering & architecture consulting, housing, real estate, Telecoms, ICT, transportation & logistics…..
Technology review
The Caterpillar CS Compactors: Modern equipment for today’s works One of the most easily used equipment in road and other construction works in Uganda (and East Africa) - the soil compactor - provides the mass and weight to compress soil as part of the construction process. It puts loose soil together to form a solid, compact mass of earth capable of carrying heavier weights (in the case of buildings and other structures) or holding to smooth surfaces (in the case of roads).
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he Caterpillar Compactors come in different types and versions. Caterpillar, the American equipment maker, has put to the market four different types of compactors: Land Fill compactors (which has 4 variations), Pneumatic Compactors (3 variations), Soil Compactors (3 variations), Tandem Vibratory rollers (14 variations) and Vibratory Soil Compactors (25 variations).
The Cat CS Compactor comes in three different models: the CS 44, CS533E and CS 533E XT. Whatever the model, the makers of this versatile machine have ensured that it, as has come to be known with the Caterpillar name, is built to enhance operations in four areas: equipment management, productivity, safety and sustainability.
The CS Compactor’s proer/user/operator or fleet ductivity is enhanced manager has a full access The Cat CS by ensuring that onsite, to e-books and mobile apCompactor is whatever the terrain, the plications (apps) to supbuilt to enhance machine is able to handle port the user in planning operations in; and deliver, without intertasks e.g. paving and comequipment ruption arising from mapaction, depending on the management, neuverability and badness terrain, job at hand, etc. productivity, of terrain. The user is also able to connect with other users and safety and For safety, the machine is peers to share experiencsustainability. built to monitor and enes and ask questions and sure its own safety and share solutions. Besides, safety of its operator. It is users can connect with the also designed to ensure sustainability by equipment experts who they can ask reducing its impact on the environment questions, seek solutions to specific and thereby maintaining environmental challenges concerning use/operation of integrity. equipment. This article was originally published in The Infrastructure Online
Equipment-management conscious design is intended to ensure that the equipment uptime is increased, and simultaneously its operating costs are reduced. Equipment management tools built in the cabin, for example, enables the user or fleet manager to monitor fuel burn, location, health and maintenance issues of the equipment. The equipment also comes with a host of support services. For example, a buy-
34 Nov - Dec 2017
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Company Profile
Khalsa Developments (U) Ltd Khalsa Developments (U) Limited is a privately-owned construction company, registered to carry out building and civil engineering works. The company has its headquarters at Kitetikka, Gayaza road in Kampala. They also have liaison/project site offices across the country as well as operations in neighbouring Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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ince opening doors to business in 2005, Khalsa Developments (U) Ltd has executed a significant number of high-end and quality projects across the East African region. The company boasts of a well-qualified and highly experienced labour force. Within the last 10 years or so of its existence, the company has managed to achieve, and continues to maintain, a high degree of credibility with clients who are both cost-conscious and quality-oriented. This, they say, has given them the capacity to maintain a progressive increase in their construction portfolio. The company’s vision is to be the most respected and qualitative infrastructure development partner in East Africa. Its mission is to provide innovative engineering solutions, to enhance quality of life in East Africa. Its core values are honouring commitments, transparency, commitment to health and safety of people and the environment. Products and Services Khalsa Developments (U) Limited provides core specialized construction services in the following areas:
Civil works infrastructure Civil works is at the core of the company’s existence. In this area, they boast of the best organized department, as in here is the heart of their construction element. The department of civil works has the highest number of staff with qualifications across the spectrum from master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, diplomas, certificates and unskilled labour force. The
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One of the Hass Petrol Stations constructed by Khalsa Developments.
unskilled labour force in this department is appropriately and effectively trained to attain high quality practical skills.
Roads/Highways A good road network is the backbone of any economy; because it facilitates the movement of goods and services. In this regard, Khalsa Development (U) Ltd positions itself as a partner to governments, local government authorities and other players in the sector, to provide the engineering technical know-how, project management expertise, and delivery of road/highway projects. To guarantee their capacity to do this, they have sourced and retained highly qualified engineers to provide professional services in design, con-
struction and maintenance of roads.
Bridges This is another area where their expertise and experience has been built. Testimony to this fact is that Khalsa Developments (U) Ltd is among the few privileged contractors in Uganda that the Ministry of Works and Transport engages for works on bridges.
Dams and Water Supply Dams and water supply provide a range of economic, environmental, and social benefits, including recreation, flood control, water supply, and hydroelectric power. With one other fundamental benefits is being able to control water flows that can
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Company Profile
needs of the projects, producing the finest furniture that meets client specifications.
Quality Assurance The company is committed to ensuring that all their projects meet the highest standards. That is why they go the extra mile to implement quality control. The basic goal of quality control is to ensure that the products, services, or processes they provide meet the International/Uganda National Bureau of Standards, and are credible, dependable, satisfactory and sound.
Competitive Edge Besides, their technical capacity, expertise and experience, there are other factors that give Khalsa Developments (U) Ltd a competitive edge in the industry, which they have kept improving in the relatively short period they have been in existence. These include but are not limited to, the following: ■■ Their ability to enter into joint venture with other specialists in heavy engineering companies: This expands their capacity to offer a complete package of wide range of construction and mechanical engineering services.
AAR facility in Kololo constructed by Khalsa Developments.
be regulated to meet agricultural requirements. Khalsa Developments (U) Ltd has built capacity to undertake any works connected with dams, water supply/control, construction of water recreation and sanitation facilities. They have also provided detailed designs for their own projects but where required, for external clients. Further to the core services elaborated above, Khalsa Developments (U) Ltd also provides the following:
Aluminum Fabrication They make aluminum windows and doors frames as well as curtain walling and clad-
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dings, for both their own projects and to supply to other external projects.
Metal Fabrication and Welding They specialize in all aspects of steel structures, tank construction and industrial piping. They fabricate steel and make structures for roofings as well as various shapes and sizes of water channels.
Carpentry and Joinery Khalsa Development’s workshop is equipped with modern wood working machinery and timber drying and curing kiln. It supports all carpentry and joinery
■■ They endeavor, in all cases, to complete work within the scheduled time from the point of receipt of Local Purchase Order (LPO) to the point of site hand over. ■■ They also take pride in purchasing all materials, as much as possible, for all electrical, mechanical and civil engineering works, from producers and importers based in Uganda and the Preferential Trade Area (PTA), but always ensuring that all materials used are of the highest quality, conforming to international standards. ■■ Furthermore, they emphasize continued training of all staff in all technical, administrative, health and safety and other fields, to ensure clients receive value for money at every stage.
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uetcl UETCL Headquarters located at Plot 10 Hannington Road, Nakasero P.O Box 7625, Kampala-Uganda. Tel + 256 417 80 2000, + 256 314 80 2000, + 256 414 233 433/4 E-mail: transco@uetcl.com, Website: www.uetcl.com, Twitter: @uetcl
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