MWANZA: THE Tanzanian government said the implementation of the first phase of the Program 4 Results (P4R) through the Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme (SRWSSP) project in the rural water sector has contributed significantly to increasing access to clean water services from 64 percent to 85.2 percent, with more than 10.2millin citizens benefiting from the service in the country.
Speaking today during an exclusive interview in Mwanza on the success of the Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation program (SRWSSP) project, Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA)director general in the country, engineer Wolta Kirita, said the program did not only focus on the construction of water projects but also strengthened institutional performance, service sustainability and management of the rural water sector.
He said that these achievements have been achieved through the implementation of the Program for Results (P4R), which began in the first phase and will end in 2025, while laying a solid foundation for continuing to improve water services for rural citizens.
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He said that the government has decided to initiate the second phase of the program to ensure that the achievements made are sustained and more citizens continue to receive quality water services as well as improve environmental sanitation.
In addition, He said that through the program, the Government has continued to implement various water and sanitation projects to ensure that service centers continue to operate effectively and citizens receive sustainable services.
For his part, the Program Coordinator from the Ministry of Water, Engineer Sitta, said that the Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program (SRWSSP) is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Water, the President’s Office-RALG and the Ministry of Health, with the Ministry of Water being the main administrator of the program.
He said that through the first phase of the project, the government succeeded in increasing rural water access from 64 percent to 85 percent, in parallel with improving water services in primary and secondary schools as well as health care centers.
Engineer Sitta said that the second phase of the program will be implemented with funding of US $ 200 million from the World Bank, with the aim of bringing rural water access to 100 percent and increasing the number of citizens to benefit from clean and safe water services.
He stressed that the implementation of the new phase will help strengthen the health of citizens, improve environmental sanitation and stimulate social and economic development in rural areas of the country.