Counties should benefit from profits and revenues from resources in their regions, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has said.
Speaking Tuesday at a meeting with Mombasa County Labour Committee members, Mr Sakaja said the county should get some revenue from parastatals like Kenya Ferry Services (KFS) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
Mr Sakaja is the chairman of the Senate Labour Committee.
Ward representatives complained that the county did not benefit from revenue from KFS and KPA. They also raised concern over high levels of unemployment in the county.
Mr Sakaja said such funds will aid the county in development projects and also provide job opportunities for the youth.
UNEMPLOYMENT
“Counties should benefit from natural resources and revenues generated in their regions,” Mr Sakaja said.
Mr Sakaja added that unemployment was a big threat to national security. He said 30 per cent of county jobs should be given to county residents.
“The youth in the counties should also be employed in these parastatals. Locals can do some jobs that have been given to some investors. As Senate, we will ask for the list of all employees in national installations in the country to assess if there is a balance,” Mr Sakaja said.
Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki said the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has taken 70 per cent of transport jobs, “snatching” a huge portion from truck drivers. Mr Faki is a member of the Senate Labour Committee.
“Since the SGR started operating, it has taken 70 per cent of the transport business in Mombasa and the northern corridor. Truck drivers have been adversely affected,” Mr Faki said.
Mr Faki requested that importers should be given a choice on the means of transport they want to use after their goods land at the port.
“Let the importers have an option on which transport they want to use. Stating that SGR will be the only means to transport cargo is unfair,” Mr Faki said.
The Mombasa senator added that some of the projects can also be given to the counties so that they can create their own special economic zones.
“A county can take some of the projects so that they don’t depend solely on the funds allocated to them by the government,” he said.
SOURCE: nation.co.ke
