Marine workers to lose jobs in massive lay-off by State

By Benard Sanga

MOMBASA, KENYA: Massive lay-off is looming at Mombasa based Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institution (KEMFRI) as the government moves to cutback wage bills in the country’s research institutions.

According to Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Cabinet Secretary, Felix Kosgei the government was keen to restructure the institutions to make them lean by getting rid of unnecessary subordinate staff.

He said that the institutions’ wage bill was high leading to lack of funds to carry out meaningful research that would spur the country’s economy.

“The government cannot not keep on pumping money into these institutions and all they do with it is pay drivers, secretaries and researchers who are not coming up with research works that are relevant to the needs of our development plans,” said Mr. Kosgei during his visit at KEMFRI, Mombasa on Friday.

He said most research institutions in the country had failed their primary objective of acting as interface to interpret scholarly research work from higher leaning institutions for farmers and other sector in order to drive the economy.

The Cabinet Secretary said that there was need for the institutions to adopt best practice in finance utilization and do away with unnecessary expenditures.

“We don’t want to pay salaries to loiterers. We are putting researchers in our institutions that are paid at the end of every month and all they do is going around the world to do research for international institutions on notice. You either work for us or you walk out,” said Kosgei.

Kosgei decried over declining aquatic culture in the country saying that the Economic Stimulant Package that was set aside for fishing had not jump-started the sector.

He said that the stimulant packaged failed because there were no extension services, market and proper post harvesting management systems in place.

The government, he said was keen to bail out the cash-strapped KMFRI which has been operating with government funding to enable to stimulate the fishing sector.

Kosgei said that out of the country estimated revenue potential of Sh500 billion, in terms of sigh and minerals form its mass waters it was currently exploiting a paltry Sh500m.

He said that the government has for the last 10 years not channeled enough resources to the institutions a move that has crippled their operation.