Money allocated to development in Tana River surpasses State threshold

Construction of the first tarmac road in Hola town in Tana River on July 27, 2016. PHOTO | GALGALO BOCHA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Governor Hussein Dado said whereas Sh452 million will be spent on infrastructure, the devolved unit would work with the national government to address infrastructural challenges.

  • Mr Dado said the setting aside of Sh300 million for water is part of his government’s strategic objective to addressing the perennial water crisis in the county.

The county government of Tana River has allocated 51 per cent of its Sh4.5 billion budget to development, a percentage that is above the government’s development expenditure threshold of 30 per cent of estimates.

This is aimed at attracting investors to the virgin region and improving the living standards of residents, the governor said.

Governor Hussein Dado said whereas Sh452 million will be spent on infrastructure, the devolved unit will work with the national government to address infrastructural challenges.

“The county has so many challenges, ranging from infrastructure, education, water and health,” Mr Dado said in an interview on Wednesday. “We therefore have no room for luxury; we will continue to utilise more resources on development.

He said: “We are undertaking ambitious development projects to make our county attractive to investors. They range from infrastructure, health and water”.

Mr Dado said the setting aside of Sh300 million for water is part of his government’s strategic objective to addressing the perennial water crisis in the county.

“In the last financial year, we constructed 13 dams, drilled 11 boreholes and enhanced the capacity of the Tana Water and Sanitation Company,” he said.

To stimulate trade, the county has set up four livestock markets and construction of Garsen Modern Market is ongoing.

Hola town is set to attract more investors due to its strategic position, located on River Tana, and is now set to connect to the national electricity grid by November.

Mr Dado said key to his government is the agriculture and livestock sectors, where Sh608 million has been allocated in an attempt at tackling food insecurity and spurring agribusiness.