The government has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the country’s infrastructure as part of the ongoing efforts to achieve the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo together with his Defence counterpart Patrick Mariru, Idris Dakota (Cabinet Affairs), Teresia Mbaika (Devolution) and Veronica Nduva (Performance and Delivery Services) on Thursday assessed the status of government projects while on a development tour in the Coast region.
Some of the projects inspected include; the Shimoni Port in Kwale County, Kenya Shipyard Limited, Miritini Treatment and Rehabilitation Center and the Government Chemist in Mombasa County.
PS Omollo, who chairs a coordination committee, stressed that the objective of the inspection was to identify and rectify issues that have been causing delays in the implementation of government projects.
“During our visit we not only focused on the above projects, we have also focused on other government programs that are going on both in the Coast region as well as North Eastern so that we are able to unlock the bottlenecks that exist in those projects for Wananchi to reap maximum benefits out of them,” he said.
The PSs form the membership of the Governance and Public Administration Sub Committee under the National Development and Implementation Committee.
During their visit, the National Development and Implementation Committee observed that the construction of the Shimoni Fish Port in Kwale which commenced in October 2022 is progressing well with 42 per cent of the project complete.
The development of infrastructure for fish processing and storage including the modern jetty and icemaking plant will help meet the growing demand for fish cargo and support the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen in Kwale.
PS Omollo acknowledged that the critical project will not only boost the local economy but also improve the quality and value of the seafood produced in the region.
The project is part of the government’s strategy to maximize the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Indian Ocean.
The Governance and Public Administration Committee also inspected the status of the Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL) in Mombasa County which continues to be upgraded by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The Interior PS stated that the facility, which is fully operational, has played a critical role in job creation, offering at least 3,000 Kenyan artisans with job opportunities.
The artisans are currently undertaking construction, repair and maintenance works for both government and civilian boat vessels of upto 150m long.
Owing to the Shipyard, local vessels are now being identified through standardized color codes enhancing maritime security on our waters.
KSL is tasked with leading and catalyzing the introduction of the new shipbuilding industry in Eastern Africa with a focus on meeting the local demand from Kenya Navy, Ministries, Agencies, and Departments (MDAs) with maritime assets, and other public and private domestic and regional clients.
Some of its functions include, ship refits, ship maintenance, ship overhaul, both onshore and offshore ship repairs, piers design and construction, civil maritime and rail works among other roles.
Subsequently the PSs visited the Miritini Drug and Rehabilitation Center in Mombasa County which currently offers both the inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services.
The government has since designed a masterplan that will see the expansion of the facility to become a National Centre of excellence for the Prevention, Treatment and Reintegration for people who abuse alcohol and drugs in Kenya.
So far, two out of the eight key buildings in the Master Plan are under construction including a Multi-purpose Hall and Workshops.
According to the Internal Security PS, the centre is crucial in the ongoing government efforts to tackle the drug abuse menace that is threatening the country’s younger population.
Regarding the Government Chemist in Mombasa, PS Omollo highlighted its potential to boost government revenue through provision of services such as paternity tests, food and water analysis, and drug analysis.
A comprehensive plan is underway to modernize the agency, making it more efficient.
Additionally, the facility offers forensic and analytical services across the entire Coast region and parts of North Eastern, playing a crucial role in DNA profiling, such as in the ongoing case on the victims of Shakahola massacre
PS Omollo reiterated that National Development and Implementation Committee will continue to traverse all the counties to ensure successful and timely completion of government projects.
He assured Kenyans of the government’s commitment to improving their standards of living and addressing the issues they face including inequality.
BY CAPITAL NEWS