NWSC MD Underscores Roles of Technological Innovation in Enhancing Productivity, Accelerating Service Delivery | ChimpReports
On March 4, National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Engineering day under the global theme “Engineering for a healthy Planet.”
This was the first time NWSC officially celebrated the day under the NWSC theme “Celebrating NWSC’s Engineering Innovations and Technological Advances to Achieve Water for All.”
During the event held at Ggaba water works, over 30 in-house engineering innovations that have helped the corporation push its ‘water for all’ agenda were showcased.
Speaking at the event, NWSC MD Dr. Eng Silver Mugisha underscored the role of technological innovation in enhancing productivity.
According to Dr. Silver, production is a ratio of output over input, and can thus be enhanced by maximising the output and optimising the inputs. He also shared the economic definition of total productivity as technological change and efficiency change.
“NWSC is making an effort to increase productivity through technological change and efficiency enhancement to drive its efforts to accelerate service provision at the water utility,” Eng. Silver said.
Adding: “The event today is a demonstration of what NWSC can do. It is one thing to have an idea and it’s another to bring it to reality. The NWSC Board and management are committed to support innovation and technology geared towards delivering water for all, an aspiration of NDPIII.”
Dr. Silver urged innovators to be patriotic and support the BUBU initiative. He encouraged them to use local materials to complete the Ugandan originality of their products.
He also applauded the Government’s efforts in promoting science, technology and innovation, highlighting innovations from UBTEB students, the Kayoola EVS bus among many others spurring technological change and economic transformation in Uganda.
Some of the innovations at NWSC include an in house developed water billing system which, according to Dr Silver Mugisha, has saved the corporation Shs 800m from annual licensing fees, a spare part fabricating machine which has saved the corporation from importing spare parts for water pumps, motor rewinding, and a foundry which has helped the corporation to substitute importation of some spare parts and chlorine manufacturing technology which has brought down operational costs.
Others are; smart energy use initiatives, a prototype prepaid meter under development, asset management and financial management systems among many others all aimed at putting technology to practical use, improving the NWSC product offering and cost efficiency.
Dr. Silver recognized for his mentorship role
At the event, the NWSC engineering fraternity recognized NWSC MD Dr. Eng Silver Mugisha, Deputy Managing Director Technical Services Eng Johnson Amayo and Director Engineering services Eng Alex Gisagara for their exemplary leadership and mentoring role to other engineers in the corporation.
The trio has over 20 years of experience in the engineering field at NWSC.
NWSC to build a water Museum
Meanwhile, during the celebrations, NWSC Board Chairman Prof. Dr. Eng Badru M. Kiggundu broke ground for the proposed water museum.
The facility will help tell the story of the evolution of the water pump technology, water treatment process through the years and other innovations in the water and sanitation sector.