Report Reveals How Counties Have Squandered Billions By - TopicsExpress



          

Report Reveals How Counties Have Squandered Billions By Standard Team Tuesday, July 15th 2014 Auditor General Edward Ouko has unearthed how billions allocated to county governments are squandered in wasteful expenditure and even outright diversion to individual pockets through fraudulent claims. Specifically, the audit tracks down misuse of public funds in 33 out of the 47 counties. Worse still, the extravagant spending spree was carried out in these units without the requisite approval by the Controller of Budget. In Kiambu, the County Assembly and the Council of Ministers are some of the institutions cited for financial malpractices by the Office of the Auditor General. The auditor in a report covering the first quarter of 2013, various financial anomalies ranging from payment of ghost attendants to a conference and alleged recruitment of underage workers. The report indicated, the county allegedly hired 10 workers indicated as aged between zero and one year and paid over Sh3 million in wages to its casual laborers between April and June 2013 although no documentation was provided to sanitize the recruitment process. In Busia for instance the report cites over-the-top expenditures on renovation of county and governors offices. The countys alleged over-the-top spending sparked a probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC). The amount used to renovate governors office was Sh4.4million raising queries on the county expenditures thus EACC stepping in for investigations” reads the report. In Uasin-Gishu County, the report claims payments totaling Sh37 million were irregularly paid in advance for the supply of furniture, computer and hardware materials that had not been delivered in line with the government financial regulation procedures. An additional Sh3 million was made to a construction company in respect of fencing a public utility at Kapsoya in advance without proof of Bills of quantities or contract yet at the time of audit in August 2013 the fencing had not been done. The Sh3.5 million, which was made to M/s Damco International Ltd on 28 June 2013 for fencing a public utility plot at Kapsoya, also pointed out that no contract was signed between the contractor and the county government. The report highlights irregular payment of undelivered vehicles by the county assembly amounting to sh.40 million on 28th June 2013. The report further claims that the county assembly bought insurance covers for six of its new vehicles worth Sh2 million, without competitive bidding. In Embu the report claims the county government bought a new Toyota Prado for Governor Martin Wambora worth Sh12 million, exceeding the Sh10 million authorised by the budget. The Embu County tender committee was faulted for irregularly awarding a contractor a tender to refurbish the County Council Hall for the county assembly for Sh33.3million through restricted tendering. In Taita-Taveta County, it is claimed that Sh26 million was spent by the defunct municipal council between March 2013 and May 2013 without the necessary approval from the Controller of Budget, Agnes Odhiambo. However, governors through Council of Governors Chairman Isaac Ruto have in the past accused Odhiambo of exceeding her mandate.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 08:40:21 +0000

Trending Topics



Recently Viewed Topics




© 2015