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Shift Media News 
By Our Reporter
JINJA, Uganda|SHIFTMEDIA| Public Service Unions have decried the increased violation of labour rights among employees in the public service sectors, something they say leads to poor service delivery.
The sentiments were echoed by a team of Public Service International (PSI) Union officials during a benchmarking exchange tour they conducted in Jinja City.
The officials also used the exchange visit to officially launch the Transparency and Decent Work Campaign.
The PSI Sub-regional Secretary for the English-speaking Africa Dr. Everline Akech called for support towards the public service workers so as to mitigate the challenges affecting employees.
She noted that if this is encouraged, effective service deliveries to communities will be achieved.
“The current project is a collection of three unions that include: Uganda Electricity Allied Workers Union, Uganda Public Employees Union, and Uganda Local Government Union,” said Dr. Akech.
“It seeks to promote transparency and decent work in supply chain management,” he noted further.
She also pointed out that in Uganda there has been a lot of outcry regarding the enormous cost of electricity supplied by Umeme especially the tariffs paid per month. “We recognize that fact that if an economy wants to develop, electricity must be affordable since it is the engine of growth,” he said.
She noted further that much as water is life, not all workers have access to clean water given the high prices. “We need to have easy access to clean water and energy for all workers. The workers need to be paid well, and have safety at their workplaces,” said. Dr. Akech.
She said despite the existence of an environmental policy the aspect of waste management remains a huge challenge.
“Look at Jinja, its now a city, but if the issue of wastes is not maned properly, there is going to be pollution that will affect the quality of water, that will affect the quality of life,” she said.
She attributed the poor waste management practices to lack of adequate policy on waste management.
“If well managed, the natural resources available in Jinja could contribute immensely to the city’s wealth base and aid socio-economic development,” she said.
She observed that PSI was engaging government to ensure that water, electricity is affordable and waste management is properly handled.
Tree planting campaign
The team also launched a tree-planting campaign in Jinja City as a means of conserving the environment.
During interaction with the Jinja city Authorities, the leaders of Public service Unions urged Jinja city Authorities to invest in natural resources conservation to reduce
climate challenges that impede the city from realizing its full potential contribution to the national economy.
The Jinja city principle Natural Resources officer Ernest Nabihambo said poor management of land and natural resources is one of the major critical challenges affecting the development of Jinja into a Green city.
Nabihambo noted that their partnership with Public service Unions will help the sector achieve a natural-based approach to make Jinja city climate adaptive.
The chairperson Uganda Public Employees Union Agatha Namirembe raised concern over the increased violation of informal Workers’ rights contracted by private companies in the public service sector.
