By MN Reporter
Migori County Government, in collaboration with National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) has launched a five-year action plan that will cost Sh7 billion to implement.
The implementation of the County Environment Action plan will be spearheaded by the county’s department of Environment and Disaster Management and funded by different departments after the approval by the County Assembly.
According to plan that will run to 2008, Health department will take the largest share of Sh1.8 billion that will mainly be used in increasing latrine coverage from 52 per cent to 85 per cent, implementing a comprehensive school health package and reducing mortality rates.
“The objectives in the Health sector include minimizing exposure to health risk, strengthening collaboration with health related issues and conducting health promotion and education in the county,” the plan reads.
The County has also allocated Sh20 million to increase the family income and reduce dependence on forests that will be achieved throughamong others, community mobilization across the county.
County Executive Member for Environment and Disaster Management, Dr. Polycap Ating’a said that the plan will cut across all the ministries in the county and will ensure necessary developments are achieved in all the eight sub counties.
“We have big plans for the county. This will involve all the departments; health, energy, water, forest, agriculture and others,” he said.
The priority areas will be on the issues affecting the environment especially on solid and liquid waste management, protection of catchment areas, unreliable power supply, water scarcity, safe mine extraction methods,
provision of agricultural extensions and acquisition of Sony Sugar by the county government.
“The aim of the plan is to provide guidance and information required and analysis of county environmental issues and identify actionable areas,” Ating’a said.
The county also has plans to sensitize communities on new fish farming technologies, constructing land facilities and establishment of ice plants at fish landing beaches and cold rooms.
“We shall establish fish processing factories, provide aquarium and sport fishing for income in Nyatike, Rongo, Uriri, Muhuru Bay and in Kuria,” said Chief Officer, Environment Department, Joshua Ngwala.
