Department of Health and its Sub Sectors is the biggest beneficiary of the Sh8.9 billion Migori County budget estimates for the 2022/2023 Financial Year.
Migori County Assembly Representative George Omamba who chaired the public participation on the budgetary estimates allocations, noted that it was a requirement by the law that the budget is presented before the public.
Free maternal Health Care, a sub-sector of health was allocated Sh40 million to cater for health care of pre and post-natal mothers across the 40 wards in the county. The 2022/2023 budget estimates also allocated Sh13 million to Linda Mama reimbursements in 140 health centres and dispensaries facilities.
Department of Roads, Transport and Public Works was allocated Sh992 million while the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Development had an allocation of Sh624 million.
Omamba noted that the major proposal that the residents wanted implemented, was the increase of the Sh 80 million allocations of school bursaries and scholarships to supplement bursaries from the National Government and private corporates like Equity Group.
The legislature also said that members of the public proposed the inclusion of subsidized farm inputs to cushion farmers on high costs of fertilizers, seeds and pesticides.
The 2022/2023 budget estimates had put food security into account in terms of provision of subsidized farm inputs, promotion of value chain addition and distribution of daily cows under the county project of one cow per sugarcane/tobacco farmer. Construction of slaughterhouses, promotion of cage fishing and community dams fishing were also incorporated into the budget.
Omamba said that the Migori budget estimates would be implemented under the four thematic areas of Infrastructure Expansion and Development, Food Security, Socio-Economic Transformation and Good Governance as espoused in the 2018-2022 Migori County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP). He also acknowledged that the 2022/2023 budget will be implemented by the new County Assembly team that will be elected on August 9.
The inclusion of youth in the budgetary estimates was praised by the participants, who noted that the county had realized the huge economic benefits and workforce that the youth represent.
Ms. Ann Kerubo, a youth and an entrepreneur said the Sh83 million allocated to the Youth Development and Empowerment from the Sh813 million allocated for the Department of Education, Youth, Gender and Social Services will hugely benefit young entrepreneurs like her to steer the county’s economic growth.
According to the Migori Budget Estimates of 2022/2023 the County’s own source revenue target has been slightly raised to Sh350 million from Sh280 million in the approved County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP) of 2022 due to the improvement in the revenue collection records in the third quarter of 2021/22 Financial Year.
The biggest Migori County local revenue sources of Sh100 million and Sh51 million came from the health sector and business licenses.
The Migori county budget estimates will be financed by the Equitable Share of Sh8.05 billion from the National Government, Sh0.617 billion Donor funds and Sh350 million local revenue sources.
