Ojaamong: All projects will be done

Problems that derailed implementation of development projects in the region during the 2018/19 financial year have been fixed, Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has said.

The governor has also directed chief officer in the Department of Finance, Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Economic Planning, Priscah Omoit to supervise all procurement functions.

Procurement is one of the six directorates that fall under Ms Omoit’s department.

This was the first time the governor was speaking since members of the county assembly raised the red flag in May on slow implementation of development projects.

Speaking after signing the Appropriation Bill on Tuesday, Mr Ojaamong said the public and ward representatives should expect swift implementation of development projects.

Signing of the crucial Bill into law means the devolved unit can utilise the annual allocation from the Treasury on various projects and recurrent expenditures.

Last Friday ward reps passed the budget estimates of Sh7 billion for the 2019/20 financial year. Up to Sh4.86 billion of the Sh7 billion will be spent on salaries while Sh2.1 billion has been set aside for development.

The county boss slammed some of the contractors that won tenders to implement projects and ended up doing shoddy jobs.

“Some projects stalled more than four years ago. Monitoring must be enhanced to ensure the projects are completed,” said Ojaamong.

In May, MCAs adopted a Motion allowing the formation of an ad hoc committee to investigate slow implementation of projects.

The ward reps accused the procurement department of failing to advertise projects on time.

A grilling of county executives and their chief officers established that majority of the departments presented requests for advertisement of projects more than six months after the budget had been passed.

The governor said Sh111 million from the Kenya Devolution Support Programme was being used to beautify Busia town.