Govt scales back Galana food security project
What you need to know:
- “The inter-ministerial task force that I formed reviewed the Galana contract and phased out what was not essential for irrigation,” he told journalists at the ministry headquarters Friday.
The Galana irrigation scheme budget has been reduced by half after some components of the 10,000 acre farm were scaled back.
The project, which was supposed to cost taxpayers Sh14 billion, has now been slashed to Sh7.2 billion, doing away with a milling plant that was to be set up on site.
Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said the government felt that it was not necessary to go into the milling business and would concentrate on setting up infrastructure.
“The inter-ministerial task force that I formed reviewed the Galana contract and phased out what was not essential for irrigation,” he told journalists at the ministry headquarters Friday.
Mr Wamalwa said the construction of the milling pant would be moved to later phases and will be done by private players.
The government has already spent Sh2.5 billion on the project and the remaining Sh5 billion would be funded through a facility with the Israel government.
A parliamentary committee met Mr Wamalwa on Thursday and questioned the viability of the project.
