Business Daily (Nairobi)
11 November 2009
editorial
Plans by the Energy ministry to pay private contractors Sh450 million to design and build new headquarters is ill timed, especially at this time that the country's focus has turned to reducing extravagance.
The ministry says it has exhausted its office space at Nyayo House and needs more room for its engineers and senior officials.
But has the ministry looked for space in government buildings including the newly built NHIF House in Upper Hill area?
Government departments must learn to share resources if we are to avoid wastage.
The ministry is yet to give reasons for engaging services of private contractors despite the fact that the Ministry of Public Works has internal capacity that can be utilised at a lower cost.
Utilising the capacity found in many government departments would effectively reduce the expenditure burden on Treasury, which has embarked on processes to ensure that funds are put to proper use and wastage is minimised.
Mr Patrick Nyoike, the permanent secretary in the Energy ministry, must be reminded that he is the accounting officer and must ensure proper use of government funds, ensuring prudence.
Various ministries and government departments must help Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta to save money for this country.
The government needs funds to implement its many programmes that have been held back for lack of adequate funds.
Most of the programmes that require urgent cash injection are contained in Agenda Four, negotiated by the Committee of Africa's Eminent Persons, led by the former UN secretary general Koffi Annan, and which was meant to end the violence that followed the disputed general election of 2007.
Constitution review is one such programme that will need millions of shillings to implement, especially when we come to the referendum phase.
Further, the government needs upwards of Sh1.5 billion to buy land in towns and rural areas that can be sold to international investors seeking to put their money in Kenya.
Such investments will help generate jobs.
We urge the Energy ministry to look for ways of cutting cost even as it attempts to build its own headquarters.
This includes rescinding the decision to put up the building altogether.
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