HONOURABLE MINISTER’S SPEECH FOR THE OFFICIAL HANDOVER OF FOUR (4) RURAL WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES AT NGOYIYA UNDER NTONDOZI INKUNDLA ON THE 26th JUNE, 2013.
PRORAMME DIRECTOR
BANTFWABENKHOSI
BABE CHIEF
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR
HONOURABLE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
HONOURABLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR NTONDOZI INKHUNDLA
REPRESENTATIVE OF GONE RURAL
INDVUNA YENKHUNDLA
WATER AND SANITATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS
MEMBERS OF MEDIA HOUSES
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
- IT GIVES GREAT PLEASURE TO BE PART OF THE OFFICIAL HANDOVER OF THE FOUR RURAL WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES HERE AT NGOYIYA UNDER NTONDOZI INKUNDLA.
- THE MICRO SCHEMES CONSIST OF FOUR BOREHOLES, FITTED WITH DEEP WELL INDIA MARK 2 HANDPUMPS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES IN THE FOUR AREAS IS ABOUT 1060 PEOPLE.
- I AM RELIABLY INFORMED THAT THIS PROJECT COSTED ABOUT E504, 000.00 THROUGH FUNDING FROM GONE RURAL, SWAZILAND.
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS THE GOVERNMENT, WE ARE THE CUSTODIANS OF THE POVERTY REDUCTION AND ACTION PLAN AND WE ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING PROGRAMS THAT TARGET ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs) AND THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (NDS). IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONGST THE POOR, IS ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY.
- THE PROVISION OF SAFE WATER IS CRITICAL FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SWAZI PEOPLE. SAFE DRINKING WATER REDUCES THE INCIDENCE OF WATERBOURNE DISEASES AND THUS REDUCE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON HEALTH CARE, WHICH HAS EXCALATED OVER THE RECENT YEARS. IT COMES AS A RELIEF TO NOTE THAT YOU WILL NOW ACCESS CLEAN POTABLE WATER WITHIN SHORT DISTANCES, WHICH WILL INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY AS A COMMUNITY, AS LESS TIME WILL BE SPENT TRAVELLING TO COLLECT WATER, A TASK PERFORMED MAINLY BY WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK GONE RURAL SWAZILAND, FOR FUNDING THESE PROJECTS TO THE TUNE OF E504, 000.00. MAKING WATER AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS THIS ONE, WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS THE COUNTRY MEETING THE MDGs AND NDS GOALS. SUCH PARTNERS ARE VERY MUCH WELCOME INDEED. AS WE WOULD SAY IT IN SISWATI, AKWANDZE LANITSETSE KHONA (MAY GOD BLESS THE HAND THAT GIVES).
- I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WHO SELFLESSLY CONTRIBUTED IN HARD LABOUR AND PROVIDING LOCAL MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF RIVER SAND AND STONES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HANDPUMPS.
- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WISH TO MENTION THAT SOME WATER SCHEMES COLLAPSE DUE TO COMMUNITY CONFLICTS AND FAILURE TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THEIR MAINTENANCE. I URGE YOU TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THESE ELEMENTS AND DO YOUR UTMOST BEST TO AVOID THEM. WATER IS LIFE, WE NEED TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE IT.
- IN CONCLUSION I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IN MAKING THIS OCCASION A SUCCESS. MY SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO THE CHILDREN WHO MADE VARIOUS DISPLAYS IN THE FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT. WITH THESE FEW REMARKS, I DECLARE THE FOUR WATER SUPPLY MICRO SCHEMES (NGOYIYA, MASHOZA, EMAGENENI AND ETJENI) OFFICIALLY OPENED.
- THANK YOU.
- MAY GOD BLESS US ALL