Public Servants based in the counties have been urged to embrace the spirit of teamwork and teambuilding in the discharge of their duties for maximum productivity.
Kwale County Commissioner (CC), Meru Mwangi, underscored the need for public officers to ensure high levels of integrity and honesty in the course of their work and be professional at all times.
Mr. Mwangi says the benefits of strong teamwork cannot be underestimated, particularly in the delivery of service to the people.
The CC has urged the public sector to embrace teamwork in a bid to end the pervasive culture of silo mentality and meet the increased expectations of the citizenry.
He has expressed displeasure at the lack of coordination among government departments in the delivery of services to the people despite the robust policies, programmes, and projects in place.
The CC made the appeal when he chaired the inaugural National Government Development-County Implementation, Coordination, and Management Committee (NGD-CICMC) meeting.
The NGD-CICMC, domiciled in the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, has replaced the previous County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (CDICC), domiciled in the Office of the President.
Mr. Mwangi noted that there is a need to ensure people at the grassroots benefit from the various developmental projects being undertaken by the government.
He says the NGD-CICMC will monitor public project implementation, prudent utilisation of funds, and identify challenges and solutions to ensure value for money in government projects.
The Senior Administrator called for synergy for things to work harmoniously at the county level.
He says the NGD-CICMC will monitor and implement projects and take into account cross-cutting issues when it comes to the implementation of the projects so that they are ‘delivered within the given timeframes.
“Synergy among all the departments is crucial in the implementation of public projects and programmes because together we can do so much,” he said, adding that the NGD-CICMC will ensure effective monitoring of projects, so as to yield desired results.
He urged civil servants to view the NGD-CICMC as a catalyst for positive change, which helps in the improvement of governance and scaling up of service quality and delivery at the grassroots.
“As government officials, we should think outside the box and cultivate ideas that will ensure quality and efficient service delivery in the public sector through the NGD-CICMC meetings,” he said.
Mwangi said public servants should appreciate and utilise the NGD-CICMC for the attainment of the objectives of the government, such as the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) plan, as outlined by President William Ruto.
He says public servants should familiarise themselves with the Kenya Kwanza Administration’s five-point BETA plan, which is President William Ruto’s focal point, to ensure his administration delivers to Kenyans.
The BETA Plan focuses on Agricultural Transformation and Inclusive Growth; Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); Housing and Settlement; Healthcare; and the digital superhighway and Creative industries.
Benjamin Ndani, in charge of the Government Delivery Service (GDS), previously the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), enjoined the civil servants to embrace the NGD-CICMC meetings, for improved productivity and service delivery.
He says the NGD-CICMC demands commitment, dedication, and diligence on the part of public officials in the fulfilment of its objectives.
Mr. Ndani says the construction of the long-awaited Shimoni Fishing Port project in Kwale is a top priority for the NGD-CICMC.
Mr. Ndani, who was accompanied by Sherry Ariko, Head of the GDS in the Coastal Region, says the construction of the Shimoni Port is expected to have a positive impact on trade and economic growth.
He says the Fishing Port project is spearheaded by the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and is expected to create employment opportunities and improve trade and economic empowerment for the locals.
“The Shimoni Fishing Port Project, which is expected to boost the country’s fishing industry, was initially supposed to take 24 months but is now expected to be completed within a period of 12 months,” said Ndani.
The GDS official says the Multi-Agency team is determined to expedite the much-awaited port project to ensure its completion within the next 12 months, as per the recent directive given by President Ruto.
He has urged close collaboration between the various state agencies involved in the Shimoni Port, to ensure the successful completion of the project.
Mr. Ndani said the other area of focus for the NGD-CICMC is the planting of trees to realise sustainable development and fight climate change.
“We are encouraging tree planting in an effort to rehabilitate forests and in line with the Kenya Kwanza government’s agenda to plant five billion trees in the next five years,” he said.
By Hussein Abdullahi
