Vihiga Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichillo today conducted a tour of five Sub Counties in Vihiga where he addressed staff. The Governor started his day long tour at Luanda Sub County before proceeding to Emuhaya then Vihiga and Sabatia before ending the exercise at Hamisi.
While addressing staff at respective Sub Counties, Dr. Ottichilo said top on his agenda will be to empower Sub County and ward administrators who he said were his representatives at the grassroots level.
He said that he wanted to make wards the Centre of development, adding that he will present a Bill in the County Assembly seeking to establish a Ward Development Fund.
He noted that if passed into law the County will be allocating funds to wards for development purposes. The County Boss said that the funds will be dispensed at the ward level by the administrators. He, however, warned the administrators against embezzling the funds adding that those who will engage in corruption will face the law.
He also said that he will focus more attention on the health sector as stipulated in his manifesto. The Vihiga Governor noted that he has established a Public Health department in his new government to deal with disease preventive measures.
On the nurses’ strike, he said that he has initiated talks aimed at reaching a return to work formula. He said he had asked the nurses to report to duty on Monday as their grievances are being addressed.
The Vihiga Governor, however, warned that he will be forced to dismiss nurses who will defy his return to work directive. “I have asked nurses to resume duty on Monday as I am handling their grievances but if they insist on staying at home I’ll be forced to employ new nurses”, he said.
He told the staff that he will soon unveil his new government structure for effective service delivery. He noted that he will conduct a staff audit to be able to define employee’s job placement.
Dr. Ottichilo explained that he will involve staff from the Directorate of Personnel Management (DPM) office to conduct the audit and give recommendations that will guide his government.
He said the exercise will start next week adding that it is not aimed at sending employees home. He added that he has started the process of coming up with County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).
He said that the document that will be ready by end of October will guide his government on development agenda for the next five years. “I have already constituted a team of planners and budget experts who are working on the initial stages of the CIDP,” he explained.
He indicated that the team will come down next week to involve residents in the preparations on the document.
He also said that he will put more resources in Technical institutions for the provision of quality education and ensure there is a rise in student enrollment.
He added that the Vihiga County government has already received Ksh50 million for development of the Polytechnics.
Other areas that the Governor promised to invest in include Agriculture, Water, Infrastructure, Youths and Sports among others.
He noted that his government will involve residents in all his development agenda through public participation, noting that he will soon present a Bill on Public Participation in the Assembly to guide how the exercise will be done.