House Committee Urges Environment Ministry to Settle Pending Bills, Calls for Increased Funding
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The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry, and Mining has urged the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry to prioritize clearing pending bills while pushing for increased budgetary allocations.
During a session discussing the Supplementary Estimates No. 2 for the 2024/2025 financial year, committee members highlighted Ksh. 440.5 million in unsettled bills under the State Department for Environment and Climate Change, Ksh. 1.91 billion in the Forestry Department, and Ksh. 169.6 million in the Mining Department as of September 30, 2024.
Hon. Titus Lotee (Kacheliba) questioned how the Ministry plans to settle these debts while requesting additional funding for projects such as NEMA, the Lake Naivasha Basin Ecosystem-Based Management Project, and the Kenya ETF Reporting Programme to the UNFCCC.
Environment CS Aden Duale acknowledged the challenge of pending bills, stating that the Cabinet will decide next week on settling some of them. He also cautioned against fictitious claims while seeking the committee’s support for funding critical projects, including the Meteorological Department and the National Environment Trust Fund.
Committee Vice Chairperson Hon. Charles Kamuren called on NEMA to improve revenue collection mechanisms to reduce dependence on government funding.
Separately, Mining PS Elijah Mwangi presented his Supplementary Estimates No. 2 and was asked to provide details on revenue collection, licensing, and enforcement in the mining sector. The committee also requested a breakdown of royalties collected and expenditure allocations.
As discussions on budget allocations continue, the committee emphasized the need for financial accountability while ensuring adequate resources for environmental conservation, forestry, and mining projects.
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