Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Eng Festus K Ng’eno has today together with UNDP Kenya, Resident Representative, Mr Anthony Ngororano co-chaired the Integrated Sound Management of Mercury in Kenya’s ASGM (IMKA) Project Steering Committee meeting.
The Project Steering Committee approved the 2023 work plan for the project being implemented in Kakamega, Migori and Narok and Vihiga counties.
Speaking during the meeting, PS Ng’eno said the meeting afforded him a great opportunity to get to engage various stakeholders who work tirelessly to support the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector.
The PS said he is fully aware of the status of the project implementation and the Ministry is committed to fast track the project activities and to even engage further on other issues that touch on the mandate of this Ministry.
PS Ng’eno reiterated the need for a concerted effort to achieve and deliver on its objective, “we will need to support execution of project activities, provide technical backstopping and oversight duties on implementation and address conflict of interest amongst the project team”.
On his part UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Anthony Ngororano said it is important to be mindful of attempting to resolve a problem by doing the same things over and over again and expecting results.
He cited the absorption capacity of the five year project ending in June 2024, citing implementation-related risks like licensing of artisanal gold miners which requires unlocking.
On increasing capacity for mercury-free ASGM through provision of technical assistance and technology transfer, a team will be set up to identify the technology transfer within 21 days.
To increase the capacity of the project four technical officers from the State Department of Mining will be attached to the project to support the activities in the four counties.
Ms. Maiyani Saino, the IMKA Gold Project Manager who presented the project implementation update 2022 and the work plan decried capacity issues as well as Inability to facilitate stakeholders due to non-definition on IFMIS and delays in procurement as project operational issues.
The meeting was attended by Director Programs, Projects and Strategic Initiatives Agnes Yobterik, Everlyne Koech from UNDP, Raymond Mutiso from Mining, IMKA Project officers among others.
