On 11th July 2023, CoST Uganda launched and published its analytical dashboard at a Round-table multi-stakeholder workshop, officiated by the CoST Uganda Champion, the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala. The dashboard enables unprecedented understanding of infrastructure project implementation in Uganda.
The programme further presented results from an analysis of disclosed data through the dashboard, the analysis was focused on key indicators including tender management, cost and time overruns, variations to price and market and transparency.
While unveiling the dashboard and the analytical report, the Minister of Works and Transport expressed his gratitude and presented felicitations to CoST Uganda upon winning two recent global awards for championing infrastructure transparency, citizens participation and addressing corruption risks in the sector.
“I am happy to associate myself with the work being done by CoST Uganda and I commit mine and the Ministry’s total support to this agenda. I am sure you no longer face challenges in some entities on requests for information, please be assured of our support. You have been very supportive but mostly in the urban areas, resources allowing, please scale up this work across the country, interest yourself into the Kampala – Jinja Express way constructions, we have a lot of challenges regarding compensation there and we need your support” noted Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala.”
The Minister also asked Ministry of Finance to integrate the CoST standard and the dashboard into the EGP, he also noted that, with insufficient data disclosed, it becomes complex for a report like the analytical report, and dashboard to classify how many of the 94% contracts mentioned as won by local firms, went to indigenous companies owned by Ugandans. He noted that, it is very possible all the 94% were won by Chinese firms. “I therefore implore PPDA and MoFPED to categorize this data, to give us correct statistics, and also, the Local content guidelines ought to be revised to reflect this provision and provide a definition for local content” noted Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala.
Access the Dashboard for real time simplified information here; http://analytics.cost.or.ug/home
The analytical tool has been referred to by many as a robust dashboard with analytical features, notably, performance monitoring, bench-marking performance, transparency reports, supplier analysis, and red flags. The dashboard provides a unified view of the key infrastructure procurement metric updates in real time and in a single pane. Any change in the underlying data or values is reflected in the dashboard immediately, thereby making data visualization easier. Similarly, use cases for adopting the standard have were identified, including benchmark performance (majorly by MoFPED and PPDA), performance monitoring (by PPDA as the regulator), transparency monitoring by the citizens and Civil Society organizations (CSOs), the media and providers.
In her remarks, Ms. Evelyn Hernandez, the CoST International Head of Members and Affiliate programmes congratulated CoST Uganda upon launching a flagship analytical platform, and for winning two recent awards. She challenged stakeholders and the Government through the line Ministry of Works and Transport, MoFPED and PPDA to fast track implementation of the OC4IDS in the EGP and require entities still using the GPP to comply with disclosure, noting the low levels of disclosure exhibited in the analytical report. She further called upon Government to fast track the process of formalizing the work of CoST in Uganda, through securing the much needed approval of Cabinet to have the MoU signed.
“Uganda should move towards integrating the OC4IDS into the EGP, it is very critical because it will facilitate decision making processes by government. I also challenge stakeholders to do better and register the much needed impact from infrastructure investments. I call upon Government to fast track formalization of CoST Uganda and appointment of an MSG”, Evelyn Hernandez.
By the end of the round table meeting, stakeholders noted that, limited or non-compliance to disclosure of information on government projects creates avenues upon which the business environment will not be conducive for business integrity to thrive. This has been evidently observed in the CoST 1st, 2nd, 3rd, assurance studies and the 1st Infrastructure Transparency Index and finally, the infrastructure data analytical study of 2023. All these studies reveal non-disclosure by some entities and in most instances incomplete disclosure. Lack of full disclosure undermines the realization of principles of good governance in the public infrastructure sector. The consequences are shoddy work, lack of value for money, frequent spending on project maintenance budgets. The end result is poorly constructed projects at the expense of citizens.
Stakeholders therefore agreed that, disclosure is very critical in spurring Uganda’s development. Therefore, stringent sanctions for non-disclosure, and incentives for promoting disclosure of infrastructure data should be put in place, and that the infrastructure data analytical dashboard, provides a strong source of information and evidence from disclosed data through the GPP, as part of monitoring performance. However, this platform should be integrated into the EGP, and the existing Contracts Management System to provide real time infrastructure data analysis against set indicators. The desired action, is that MoFPED and PPDA should adopt the dashboard to strengthen disclosure and monitoring performance of public infrastructure projects.
We are also very pleased to announce as part of our advocacy for increased infrastructure transparency, we premiered a video documentary early July, this can be accessed here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDzMUB_mrrk
As part of this agenda, series of publications have been made, and media engagements have been held, please access some of them here;
- Analytical infrastructure data dashboard http://analytics.cost.or.ug/home
- Uganda’s disclosure journey, the pending challenges https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDzMUB_mrrk
- CoST Uganda wins two awards https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpjhAmPJfmI
- CoST Uganda Champion speaks on the value of CoST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvBS3iEYlHQ
- Shift media https://www.shiftmedianews.com/infrastructure-gen-katumba-hails-cost-uganda-chapter-for-championing-transparency-accountability-in-infrastructure/
- Jori press https://joripress.com/government-applauds-cost-uganda-for-the-analytical-data-dashboard-unveiled-to-provide-real-time-information-on-infrastructure-projects
- Daily Monitor https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/infrastructure-procurement-doing-well-despite-high-costs-report-4302312
- Shift media publication https://www.shiftmedianews.com/awarded-cost-uganda-wins-the-anti-corruption-collective-action-award-2023/
- Jori press publication https://joripress.com/cost-uganda-wins-the-prestigious-anti-corruption-collective-action-award-2023-unifies-multi-stakeholders-to-strengthen-business-integrity
- Elix news https://www.elixnews.com/2023/06/cost-uganda-wins-global-anti-corruption.html?m=1
- New Vision https://www.newvision.co.ug/category/news/uganda-scoops-award-for-fight-against-corrupt-162502
- Talk show on NTV https://youtu.be/XzEFVTykYG0https://youtu.be/XzEFVTykYG0
- Talk show on Smart 24 https://www.youtube.com/live/a7qjwBT29NE?feature-sharehttps://analytics.cost.or.ug/explore/overview
- UBC TV https://youtu.be/Fft_2XNNLKo
- Shift media https://www.shiftmedianews.com/awarded-cost-uganda-wins-the-anti-corruption-collective-action-award-2023/
