by MAGDALINE SAYA
State Department of Roads PS Joseph Mbugua has pledged to improve the terms of employment of engineers in the country and provide a lasting solution.
The PS who spoke during World Engineering Day at the University of Nairobi on Saturday acknowledged welfare and compensation issues of engineers continue to lead to a brain drain among Kenyan engineers.
“The ministry will look into the issues of improvement of employment terms to address this,” he said.
The PS said the government is working towards improving the policy and regulatory framework with a repeal of outdated laws and enacting new legislation.
He challenged engineers to come up with innovative ideas that address the challenges facing the country at the moment.
“Whereas engineering has been involved in the transformative projects, the need to re-strategize to give the full benefit of engineering services and skills to the larger society has never been more urgent in recent history,” he said.
“I challenge engineers to have a paradigm shift and focus on solutions which incorporate appropriate technical solutions.”
The PS said the government will be focusing on ensuring that the rural road network is adequate and well-prioritized besides completing the ongoing road works.
This, he said, will be carried out using appropriate engineering technology and will have the immediate effect of providing the necessary infrastructure to the bulk of the population in rural and urban areas besides the direct creation of job opportunities. (the-star.co.ke)