Nyeri: Nyeri County Government has scaled up training of vulnerable groups with the aim of increasing their prospects of securing government tenders and contracts through the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO).
According to Kenya News Agency, the training is targeting youth below the age of 35 years, women, particularly an estimated 65,000 widows residing in the county, and Persons with Disabilities (PWD). These groups will be equipped with skills to take up government contracts at both national and county levels. AGPO, launched in 2016, is an affirmative action program that requires both national and devolved governments to reserve 30 percent of all jobs and tenders for youth, PWD, and women-owned enterprises. Deputy Governor Warui Kinaniri emphasized that the training aims to encourage these groups to participate in bidding for government tenders and contracts, addressing the low participation due to lack of awareness.
The Deputy Governor noted, "We want our people to take an interest in these opportunities. I have noticed that there is a negative mentality among Nyeri residents that Government tenders are reserved for a few people. The county government recently advertised tenders worth Sh 3 billion and when we evaluated the bidders, we realized that there was no participation from the youth, women, and PWD yet these opportunities have been reserved for you."
The training sessions will be conducted across all eight sub-counties by the County Department of Gender, Youth, Sports, and Social Services. Esther Ndung'u, the County Executive in charge of the department, explained that the training curriculum is tailored to accommodate both business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. Participants will learn about the business registration process, financial literacy, and how to register a business for AGPO. The department will also provide guidance on creating, managing, and utilizing Local Purchase Orders within their businesses.
Ms. Ndung'u encouraged participants to visit the County Government website for updates on available tenders and other empowerment opportunities to improve their livelihoods. "We are urging them to be proactive in tracking how and where tenders are advertised and to maintain up-to-date documentation so that they can participate and not allow these opportunities to slip through their fingers," she stated.