The Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM) and the Council of Governors (CoG) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a formal working relationship to promote Human Resource Management practice in the counties.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika said through this MOU, IHRM and CoG will be seeking to promote Human Resource Practices in the county governments through development and review of Human Resource practices in counties, Co- creating HR related training programmes and collaborate in training with county officials in order to empower the existing human resource with skills necessary to take the counties forward.
She also said this collaboration will also help promote HR compliance within counties through registration of HR officers and acquisition of Practicing Licenses for the qualified officers and developing, implementing and reviewing labour market policies, legislation and programmes for employment and sustainable job creation.
The remarks were contained in a speech read on her behalf by Nakuru county deputy governor David Kones during the opening of the Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM) 26th Annual Conference held Naivasha in Wednesday. The three-day event brings together professionals in the HR sector drawn from all over the country.
The Governor said most of the devolved functions such as Health, Agriculture and Education sectors are labour intensive by nature and require both proper coordination and relevant resourcing to ensure their optimum functioning and ultimate performance is achieved.
To this end, she said, the county governments shall provide adequate human resources at all levels, thus putting the IHRM at the centre of it in order to ensure this becomes a reality.
“As CoG we shall give priority to the expeditious implementation of this MoU so that IHRM can meet its obligations and facilitate better Human Resource Management and performance in our counties,” Kihika said.
Consequently, the governor urged the counties to leverage on this MoU and provisions of the Public Procurement and Disposal Act on Direct Procurement and avoid extensive procurement processes and enjoy services of IHRM in areas of HR Audit, Strategy, Compensation and Benefit, Change Management.
Kihika said her government is committed to create a business-friendly environment in Nakuru, eradicate barriers that hamper business development and growth, and make this County one of the most compelling and attractive business destinations.
“As professionals in this noble and highly strategic function in the institutions you represent, I urge you to evolve so as to be relevant, updated and useful in this dispensation,” she said.
She noted the key areas that the IHRM should keep you awake and critically think is Public/Private Sector Reforms to ensure improvement of systems, processes through Innovation Automation and digital superhighways.
“With the immense potential for renewable energy in Nakuru and other parts of the country we have the opportunity of reducing costs of renewal energy technologies by making this the most viable energy source. Kenya is on a transition to clean energy that will support jobs, local economies and the sustainable industrialization,” the Governor said.
It is worth noting Nakuru is home to Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) a leading electric power generating company in East Africa producing 60 per cent of the country’s electricity.
“As a county, we affirm our national endeavour to transition to 100 per cent clean energy by 2030. And in so doing, I call upon all human resource professionals wherever they are to pro-actively develop people management systems that accommodates emerging sectors such as the renewable energy sector,” the governor observed.
The function is also being attended by Institute of Human Resources Management (IHRM) Executive Director Quresha Abdullahi and national chairman Philip Dalmas Otieno.
- By KNA