Gov’t Commissions Shs600m Solar-Powered Water Pumping and Lighting System in Entebbe

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has commissioned solar-powered water pumping and lighting systems valued at UGX 600 million at the Fisheries Training Institute in Entebbe.

The project’s main objective was to create a sustainable alternative solution to the astronomical utility costs which were not tenable under the limited Government of Uganda budget allocations.

The Principal of the Fisheries Training Institute, Mr. Ofwono Osinde, noted that the new installations will go a long way in creating normalcy in the institute’s utility bills.

“On average, we are spending Shs3.6m per month on water and Shs3m on electricity bills, this isn’t sustainable given that we are still rebuilding our infrastructure and this is a training institution,” Mr Osinde said.

The Governing Council Chairperson, Dr. Godfrey Kubiriza, said, “Today, we celebrate milestones as an Institute where we witness results beyond the usual as a result of partnerships and collaborations.”

He added: “Some of the machinery you see here was bought in 1968 and may not be useful soon in this rapidly evolving world. I implore you to think creatively about an infrastructure plan that will also provide an opportunity for revenue generation.”

The Fisheries Training Institute is a vocational institute under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries and will open for this academic year at the end of February 2024.