Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu has called on universities in the Nyanza region to conduct research to drive the region’s development agenda.
The region, he said, was endowed with numerous resources, but a clear roadmap to exploit them was lacking.
Machogu said the universities have a critical role to play through provision of science backed information and data to unlock the region’s potential.
Speaking in Kisumu during a meeting with the university dons ahead of the Nyanza International Investment Conference (NIIC), the CS said research should offer tangible solutions to the issues affecting development in the area, with a view to attracting investments.
“The research must be turned into projects so that this area can develop,” he said.
The research, must touch on all areas of the economy with a bias on the available investment opportunities in the area, he added.
The CS, pointed out that the blue economy can attract investments to boost earnings from the sector.
“Last year our fisheries earned Sh5.6 billion against a potential of Sh20 billion. We want our universities to tell us what needs to be done to maximize earnings from the sector,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Vice Chancellors and lecturers from Maseno University, Kisii University, Tom Mboya University, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Rongo University and Maasai Mara University.
The CS added that through research, the universities will play a critical role in reviving agriculture and the manufacturing sectors, which have collapsed, thus creating job opportunities for thousands of youths.
He asked each of the universities to identity their niche and come up with proposals to form part of the deliberations during the conference slated for July 28th -29th in Kisumu.
Speaking during the same occasion, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo said the two-day conference organised by Nyanza Professionals will be an eye opener to the numerous untapped investment opportunities in the region.
The conference will be one of its kind, with all stakeholders from different sectors of the economy taking part.
“We have had meetings with lawyers, doctors, engineers, architects, University dons and the business community because we don’t want anybody to be left out,” he said.
The organisers have established a secretariat that will take note of all the projects that will be taken up at the conference to keep track and follow up to their full implementation.
Machogu called for collaboration between the organisers, national and county government officials to make the conference a success. President Dr. William Ruto will officially open the conference.
Nyanza Professionals Chairman Japh Olende said a catalogue of investment opportunities has been developed and will be at hand to guide investors who have registered for the conference.
The catalogue, he said, highlights key opportunities in Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya, Kisii, Nyamira and Migori counties expressing optimism that agreements shall be signed during the conference to kick-start the projects.
The opportunities will cover blue economy, health, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, education, mining and youth and women empowerment programs.
Meanwhile, registration has been reduced to Sh5000 to ensure as many people as possible attend the conference.
By Chris Mahandara
