BUSIA COUNTY RESIDENTS ENDORSE BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR FY 2022/2023 WITH AMENDMENTS
Busia County residents have given their views during public participation on the budget estimates for the financial year, 2022/20233 and medium term expenditure framework.
The expected total budget for FY 2022/2023 is Ksh.8.078 billion compared to Ksh.8.4b in the FY 2021/2022.The County Government is expected to receive Ksh.7.172b from the National Government as equitable share, Ksh.447.1 million as loans and conditional grants, and Ksh.459.2m as local revenue collections
To make their voices heard during the session held at Busia Agricultural Training Centre and chaired by Deputy Governor, H.E Moses Mulomi, the residents succeeded in having the funds allocated for construction of the Governor’s residence moved to the department of Health and Sanitation for purchase of drugs which has been a bone of contention.
On the same note, the residents drawn from all sub counties also succeeded in having enhanced funds meant for operations and maintenance in the Governorship, Finance and Economic Planning and County Public Service Board be moved to Health and Sanitation to improve on service delivery.
H.E Mulomi, the former acting County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation said concerns raised by residents on the need to enhance funds allocation to the department were genuine.
“Shortage of drugs and pharmaceuticals have been a common phenomenon in health institutions. The concerns from residents on the need to find a lasting solution is justified,” he said, adding that the Facility Improvement Fund will address this issue once and for all.
The DG said budget in the Department of Culture, Sports and Social Services needs to be enhanced to facilitate purchase of a utility bus for youths and persons with disability who engage in various sporting activities.
” There is also need for introduction of sports fund to help fund teams that represent the county in various sports discipline,” he said, adding that computers will be availed in youth empowerment centres.
The DG noted that revenue growth is critical, thus the need for concerted efforts to ensure all loopholes are sealed through joint monitoring and evaluation.
Mulomi urged Malaba residents who are soon going to benefit from an Inland Port to take advantage of economies of scale by developing their plots instead of selling them.
He called on the concerned departments to expedite the completion of trailer parks in Busia and Malaba to decongest the two border towns and to boost ownsource revenue collection.
” There is need by residents to form societies that will manage sand levy. This will not only protect our roads, but it will enable sand bought at higher prices to avoid exploitation,”he said.
He regretted the low uptake of National Hospital Insurance Fund at individual and family levels, noting that insurance is key for the future in terms of health especially non communicable diseases.
Finance Executive, Phaustine Barasa said underperformance of local revenue has continued to cause challenge to implementation of county government projects, adding that this has been worsened by the emergence of Covid-19 whose effect the County Government is still facing.
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