The newly formed North Eastern Regional Implementation Coordination (RICMC) will play a crucial role in monitoring and evaluating all government projects and programmes in the region.
Speaking in his boardroom Friday during the launch of RICMC, area Regional Commissioner John Otieno said that government programmes and projects have timelines that henceforth must be adhered to and should not compromise on the quality of the work.
The committee members comprise all regional directors of government departments and Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs). The Regional Commissioner is the chair and the Director in Charge of Government Delivery Services (GDS), formerly Presidential Delivery Services (PDU) in the previous administration, is the secretary to the committee.
“All government projects and programmes have scope, timelines, and specifications that should be met. This committee will strive to ensure that the projects in the region meet all the standards and are delivered on time,” Otieno said.
“In order for seamless delivery of government programmes and projects, the heads of the departments and SAGAs must appraise themselves with projects and programmes under them and report to the committee all issues impeding them,” he added.
While acknowledging that security challenges facing the region have at times slowed down movement monitoring of projects, Otieno said, This should not be an excuse to deliver shoddy work’.
In his previous engagement with the residents, the Regional Commissioner has stressed the need for the residents to volunteer any information to security agencies on those aiding the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab terror group to carry out attacks aimed at sabotaging government programmes and projects in the region. However, the government has vowed not to allow this to happen.
Otieno emphasised that the government is doing its level best to secure the region for seamless delivery of government services and projects.
On his part, GDS Senior Director Mahat Shalle, in charge of the Eastern and North Eastern regions, said that some contractors have used insecurity as a scapegoat to abandon government projects without even informing the relevant authorities.
Mahat, who is the secretary to the committee, said that the committee is not there ‘to police’ government projects but rather to help unlock any impediment facing such projects.
“Government projects and programmes are meant to impact the lives of the people they are meant to benefit. As a committee, we are here to ensure that is what happens at the end of any project,” Mahat said.
The Senior Director also stressed the need for proper public engagement so that the priorities and opinions of the wananchi take centre stage.
“The communities understand their needs and where, for example, a dam should be built. Don’t ignore them, because those who have done so have paid a heavy price. Public participation is provided for by law and must be followed to the letter,” Mahat noted.
He said that from next month (August), the secretariat would be constituting county committees across the region.
The county committees will be meeting twice a month and submitting their reports to the regional committees, which will in turn submit them to the national committee. All the committees can also meet as needed.
By Jacob Songok
