He was speaking to the press after officially closing a two-day workshop held at the Palm Oasis Hotel in Garissa town. The forum brought together deputy county commissioners, assistant county commissioners, and technical officers drawn from various implementing agencies.
Heads of departments in Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties have been encouraged to strengthen collaboration in the implementation of government policies, projects and programmes within their areas of responsibility.
North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno said the government is keen on fostering close coordination among departments to ensure a “whole-of-government approach” to service delivery.
He was speaking to the press after officially closing a two-day workshop held at the Palm Oasis Hotel in Garissa town. The forum brought together deputy county commissioners, assistant county commissioners, and technical officers drawn from various implementing agencies.
According to Otieno, enhanced cooperation among departments would help address challenges that often arise during implementation.
“The government wants a system where departments working on policies, programmes or projects can easily receive support from other government institutions whenever challenges emerge. This way, we can deliver better and more effective results,” he said.
He added that the approach would also allow unresolved challenges to be escalated to higher authorities for intervention, noting that such coordination has proven effective in the past.
The workshop, organised by the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), focused on sensitising officers on the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
“The objective was to help officers clearly understand the goals of BETA and its five pillars. This agenda is designed to propel Kenya towards industrialisation and improved economic growth,” Otieno explained.
He emphasised that officers play a crucial role in the implementation, monitoring and dissemination of government programmes and policies, adding that a proper understanding of the agenda would enable them to effectively communicate government initiatives to the public.
The regional commissioner observed that although the government has rolled out numerous projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of citizens, many members of the public, and even some officers, remain unaware of these initiatives.
“If officers fully understand government projects and policies, they will help the public appreciate the efforts being made to develop the country and improve household incomes,” he said.
On the affordable housing programme, Otieno noted that high-rise developments are now emerging across many parts of the country as a result of the initiative.
“The programme has restored dignity to citizens who previously lived in informal settlements,” he said, adding that it has also created employment opportunities for young people and stimulated local economies by supporting small businesses.
Turning to the health sector, Otieno said the number of fundraising drives to cater for medical expenses has significantly reduced due to the availability of comprehensive health services.
He stressed the importance of officers educating the public on registering with and contributing to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
“When registered members make regular contributions, the scheme will grow and be strong enough to support everyone whenever they require medical care,” he said.
Otieno also urged Kenyans to adopt a problem-solving mindset instead of focusing on setbacks.
