Agriculture,health better after devolution, Samuel Ragwa says

Tharaka Nithi, Kenya: Agriculture and health have been named among the sectors that have benefitted from devolution n Tharaka Nithi County.

Governor Samuel Ragwa took the Mashujaa Day celebrations as a chance to state the achievements the county has achieved in the last one year of his governance.

According to Ragwa's speech although various sectors have benefitted from devolution the Agriculture and Health sector stood out to having made the greatest milestone.

The governor who was speaking at Kathwana yesterday said strategies and policies aimed at ensuring devolution works have enabled the county government s achievements.

Ragwa said Agriculture being the backbone of the county has received emphasis with various water projects, provision of seeds to farmers and fertilizers.

"We have introduced 21 new water and irrigation projects distributed all over the four sub counties," He said.

This, he said has been strengthened by a partnership with the German government which has funded four of the projects at a cost of 190 million.

Ragwa said the livestock sector has not been left behind either.

"The county is jointly implementing a dairy project with technical support from Afrimilk Company from Israel at a cost of 350 million."

He added that seeds worth 13.5 million have already started being distributed to farmers to aid in food production.

Ragwa said before the inception of the county government the health sector in the county was poor and needed serious assistance.

He said his government has been able to set up fifty four health projects with some complete and others ongoing at a cost of 120 million.

"We have been able to construct these health centres and various health facilities like wards, maternity wards, kitchens and staff quarters."

The county government has begun a program to sponsor 15,000 households to National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).

Ragwa said this with be done in every ward with 1000 families per ward benefitting over 20,000 people who he said have been struggling to raise money to go to hospitals.

"The few highlights in our achievement s show we are moving in the right direction."