Employees of a Coast-based state parastatal have gone without salaries for three months following delays in the release of its fund allocation from the parent ministry.
Coast Development Authority (CDA) workers have not been paid their June, July and August salaries.
The management says it is making frantic efforts to get its allocation from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
CDA Managing Director James Mangi confirmed the delay but said he is making efforts to have the matter sorted out.
“I will give the true position later,” Mr Mangi said.The state agency is awaiting funds for the second half of the year as it gets allocations to cover six months.
Sources at the parastatal said the problem arose after the wage bill increased from Sh4.9 million to Sh11 million monthly. This is after the workforce was increased from 98 to 160 in the last financial year.
The workers have been surviving on advances from revenues generated by its projects spread out in the coastal counties.
CDA was established by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to provide integrated development planning. It began operations in early 1992.
The parastatal’s area of jurisdiction includes the counties of Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Lamu, Tana River and Taita Taveta, Ijara in Garissa County as well as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The authority serves a population of 3,417,970, according to population and housing census of 2009.
CDA is one of the six regional authorities in the country.
The others are Kerio Valley Development Authority, Ewaso Nyiro South Development Authority, Ewaso Nyiro North Development Authority, the Lake Basin Development Authority and the Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority.
CDA has also ventured into Magalana slate tiles mining at Samburu, Kwale County, with the aim of becoming a leading producer and exporter.
The project is aimed at adding value to the raw slates mined at Samburu as well as improve the standards of living.
To meet the high demand of building materials in the construction industry, CDA also mines coral stones in Tezo, Kilifi County.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
Reports on the CDA website indicate that coral block cutting is one of the most viable projects identified under for wealth creation through multi-sectoral projects criteria to help improve the living standards of Kilifi County residents.
CDA has also constructed a permanent weir and trained farmers on irrigation in Vanga, Kwale County. It also led the expansion of the scheme from 1,000 acres to 2,000 acres.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join