Governor Ali Korane. [Photo/the-star.co.ke]
Garissa governor Ali Korane has assured area residents that he will not leave any debt behind during his term.
The former governor, Nathif Jama’s administration has been blamed for living behind accrued debts owed by contractors and other service providers totaling to over sh 4.3 billion.
But speaking to the press in his office today, Korane further said that the county will only implement projects only for which there is a budgetary provision.
“In my term, I don’t intend to leave a single shilling of unpaid bills. The projects will be advertised, a contractor given the job, paid and implement the project,” Korane said.
He said the county will not recommend a project for which there is no budgetary provision.
“The report on the bills the county is owed is so shocking. I will read the report and certainly we will subject them to an audit to find out what they are,” he added.
Korane said that he had not read the report detailing the debt ‘because of its gravity’.
Meanwhile, Korane has said that sub-county administrators will also coordinate and chair development committee’s projects within their administrative units.
The committee will also include area MP, MCAs and other stakeholders from the community. This he said will help the locals take part in decision making of their development.
Addressing the press in his office, Korane said that he had nominated Abdullahi Osman Ibrahim as the chief officer for urban development, Rashid Mohamed (ICT, E-government), Abdi Abdullahi, (County administration) all who are subject to approval by the county assembly.
Korane said that he had done the appointments ‘in order to address gaps in the management of our county’.
“I know there will be a lot of debate regarding this positions. Some may think they were unnecessary while others may think otherwise. but our decisions are made purely on the need of service delivery,” Korane said.
“We make our decisions, not on speculation or public opinions or perceptions. I think all that debate was done during the elections and people thought that we can take good care of their interests and make good decisions for them and that is what we are doing,” he added
In November the county advertised some positions in the executive and the county public service board. Those appointed by the governor include Ebla Sahal (chairperson county public service Board). Mohamed Sheikh (Secretary, county Public service Board), Abdi Mohamed (county secretary) and Yussuf Noor (deputy county secretary).
Korane said that he had already forwarded the names to Assembly for vetting adding that although the house was in recess, chances were that they might be recalled to come and vet them.
He said that after reviewing the development initiatives for the last five years he had realized that there was no proper co-relation in the management of the county’s development.
The governor said that the deputy county secretary will coordinate all the county’s development and ensure that what is implemented is in line with the CIDP.
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