Angola introduces information technology for Effective Water and Sanitation managementAngola introduces information technology As the peace consolidates, the critical role of water in the development process cannot be over emphasized. LUANDA, 30 AUGUST 2005 – How many people have clean water in Angola? Where and what is the functional status of all water facilities? Who is using proper sanitation systems? It is therefore inevitable for planners and mangers to have a comprehensive understanding of the water resources potential to meet present and future development needs of Angola as well as reliable requisite data for effective management of existing systems in a more sustainable manner. To respond to this urgent demand, UNICEF Angola started supporting the Ministry of Energy and Water in the implementation of a comprehensive assessment of the sector and the establishment of a management information system for Water Supply and Sanitation. The two stage process will initially entail a rapid assessment to establish the existence and functional status of water supply and sanitation systems across the country and who has access to these services. This information will form the basis of the sector MIS. The second phase of the process will aim at progressively expanding the data base to its full potential wherein coverage data, management and quality of service information, will be easily available as reliable reference data to guide policy makers and sector development planners in Angola. Gathering comprehensive sector data across the country will be a Herculean task. It will engage large numbers of skilled surveyors working full time in teams of at least two in every municipality over a considerable period of time. These technicians will be trained to use one of the most modern data gathering equipment, the palm size, Personal Computer (PDA) with built-in GPS systems. Data generated using the PDA units in all locations including remote villages across the country, will be transmitted to the network of desk stations in provincial headquarters, with DNA, Luanda as command and control centre. The improved PDA technology will allow water and sanitation authorities to exercise permanent monitoring activities in which field technicians generate data for effective and efficient management of sector development efforts both at national and sub national levels. Additionally, it will also provide the basis for engaging civil society at large and foster an objective public dialogue on how best to accelerate progress towards the MDG targets. “In spite of concerted international humanitarian response, increased government budgeting and spending on the sector remains the only guarantee to accelerated coverage of water and sanitation services to the worse hit rural populations,” said Mario Ferrari, UNICEF Angola Representative. According to Ferrari, some estimates indicate that with only US $440 million all Angolan rural population could have access to safe water and improved sanitation. “This means allocating US $44 million a year, during the next ten years. However, this benefit could reach rural families in just five years, instead of ten, if the investment is US $88 million per year.” At the opening of a workshop on Information Management Systems (MIS) in Water Supply and Sanitation, held last week on 24 and 25 August in Luanda, the Minister of Energy and Water, Botelho de Vasconcelos, pointed out that “the National database on Water Supply and Sanitation Systems, whose design we are discussing, in collaboration with the existing database for Hydrological Resources, will constitute a system of information management, at the sector level and will allow us to plan development interventions more in accordance with the reality of Angola.” The workshop approved a plan of immediate actions to be implemented so that the process of data collection and database design can begin. By June 2006 the sector should have its first situation analysis of water supply and sanitation in Angola including respective coverage rates. ********
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