The Water, Sanitation, Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources Department spearheaded by the CECM Prof. Jacqueline Oduol and Chief Officer Judy Oyugi has engaged the County Climate Change Planning and Technical Committee through a consultative forum which saw members receive certificates to join the committee. The department has planned to launch Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the proposed climate change mitigation projects. This will be the last stage done by department in collaboration with environmental specialties.
As stated by the CECM, after EIA it is done, Financing Locally-Led Climate Action Program (FLLoCA) coordinators at the treasury will approve the screened and proposed proposals and verify the projects. “We shall wait for the verdict of the National FLLoCA coordinators in the Treasury on the vetted and screened proposals to be implemented in the 18 wards in Siaya County,” Prof. Oduol said.
Prof Oduol indicated that once the proposal is in the table of the national coordinators, they will descend to the grassroots to create the project sites on their own and then see if the conditions set under the FLLoCA program align with the objectives or not. Prof. Oduol reassured the department of the continued investment into climate change resilience and elucidated that the county remained dedicated in realizing the nations NDCs. She appealed to numerous interest groups to fully engage themselves in the ongoing climate processes and share common goals and milestones in the achievement of sustainable development as well as environmental conservation in the county. We value your participation and partnership for more enhanced and stronger tomorrow.
“They shall also determine whether projects are going to be embarked on in public or government land and the National team shall also ensure that environmental measures and the proposals come from the communities are feasible in terms of weather,” Prof Oduol explained.
While meeting the County Climate Change Technical and Planning committee, Prof Oduol said she had great proposals for Siaya residents but never got an opportunity in this financial year that they will be considered in the subsequent financial years. “We are aware of some proposals that were withdrawn for not meeting FLLoCA set standards, and we hope that in the gaps the groups will be required to present them in the next financial year 2024/25,” Prof. Oduol. The same applies to people who got FLLoCA news late and thus missed the application deadline.
The project is sponsored by the World Bank and Siaya County has been given KSh. 168 million to upscale the projects in each of the 18 wards. Prof. Oduol also thanked the members of the Siaya County Assembly and Governor James Orengo for their continued support for the programs as well as the right committees. Chief Officer Judy Oyugi, who also heads the Climate Change Planning and Technical Committee, called for its importance as the key players that make the program successful. Oyugi continued, “The technical committee will make sure that the particular program is well developed and implemented.” The combined actions demonstrate the county’s clear obligation towards the preservation and furthering of climate change mitigation as well as the creation of a more sustainable environment for its people.