Garissa: Key projects launched by President William Ruto during his recent tour of the North Eastern region are on course according to a project verification team from the Prime Cabinet Secretary's Office. Among the projects launched by President Ruto during the tour include the Garissa Regional Immigration Office, which has so far received over 2,500 passport applications, out of which 1,700 have been processed and are ready for collection.
According to Kenya News Agency, other projects where contractors are on the ground include the construction of the Isiolo-Modogashe road, the construction of 220 units of the Affordable Housing Project in Wajir Town, the upgrading to Bitumen Standard of the 90KM Odda-Bute-Danaba-Wajir road, and the expansion of Wajir East Technical Vocational Education and Training Institute, among others.
The Garissa County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) project, which has created jobs for over 100 local youths, has progressed to approximately 65 percent completion. The industrial park, jointly funded by the national and the Garissa County governments at a total cost of Sh 490 million, is set for completion by July next year. However, the contractor, who has already been paid Sh 329 million, is working to complete the project by September this year.
According to the North Eastern Regional Commissioner, John Otieno, applications for national identity cards have risen due to the relaxation of the vetting process for citizens in the region. Otieno noted that the government has implemented measures to ensure that only deserving Kenyans are able to acquire the ID cards.
Otieno expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the national government projects, emphasizing the government's deliberate approach to economically empower the population and create employment opportunities for the youth. He highlighted the impact of the Garissa regional immigration office, which has processed over 2,500 passport applications, with 1,700 already collected or awaiting collection, bringing services closer to the citizens.
Rinah Odengo, Policy Advisor to the Prime Cabinet Secretary, stated that much of what the president promised during his February development tour in the region has been accomplished, with other ongoing projects still on course. Odengo mentioned that concerns about funding have not been raised during the visit, as no contractor has reported any issues with pending bills.