By Abduba Mamo/David Nduro
The government spends over Sh.100 billion to feed Kenyans affected by drought and floods annually.
The East African Community and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary (CS), Adan Mohamed said that his ministry had sunk several boreholes, built dams and used water trucking to help people affected by drought in remote areas.
Mohamed said underfunding by the exchequer had gravely affected development activities undertaken by his ministry and to some extent the staff salaries.
Speaking at Ewaso Nyiro North Development Authority (ENNDA) office during a meeting with the Board of Directors, management and staff on Saturday, the CS said the previous management had failed to meet the local residents’ demands.
He urged the current management to adhere to financial management and procurement regulations that govern public officers so as to steer clear of corruption deeds.
He said that the government is poised to further open the northern region to other parts of the country when construction of the 740km Isiolo to Mandera road begins any time soon.
The CS who was accompanied by his Principal Secretary, Dr. Margaret Mwakima and the Board Chairman, Mohamed Liban urged the local communities in the 10 counties that are served by ENNDA to support the new management so that they could make beneficial strides in terms of development and uplifting standard of living.
Mohamed said that the modern drilling equipment which ENNDA has procured could dig up to 600 metres and assured wananchi that he would seek for more funding for more boreholes and dams.
He urged public officers to distance themselves from the petty politics and ethnic rhetoric that would hamper their delivery of quality service to the people they serve or even taint the office image.
The Isiolo County Commissioner, Joseph Kanyiri said that the government has distributed relief food to public secondary schools in the county with view to assisting parents who were unable to raise fees for their children.
Kanyiri said that over 500 students in Isiolo County benefitted from food for fees through the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA).
