Nyamira paid over Sh2b to ghost workers, audit reveals
Hillary Mageka @hillarymageka
An audit report indicates Nyamira County government may have paid out more than Sh2.8 billion to ghost workers in the 2018/19 Financial Year.
The report by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu shows the Executive employed 736 officers and paid them outside the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database system.
According to the Auditor, the devolved unit did not provide supporting documents relating to the recruitment process such as the existence of 736 vacancies, advertisement for jobs, shortlist and interview reports.
Besides, an evaluation of personnel records revealed that during the year under review, the Executive also failed to provide recruitment minutes, appointment letters and human resource advisory committee reports on the appointments.
“Analysis of the monthly gross pay rise of Sh3 million for staff is not supported with documents such as the approved pay change advice, Public Service Board minutes, human resource advisory committee minutes as well as letters of promotion,” the report.
The Auditor further notes that at least 1,565 officers have been on a six-month probation period as provided for in the Employment Act, 2007.
“Consequently, the accuracy, completeness and validity of the compensation of employees of Sh2.8 billion reflected in the statement of receipts and payments for the year ended June 30, 2019 could not be confirmed,” the Auditor states.
Appropriate jobs
Auditor General has at the same time faulted the county for failing to avail an approved staff establishment to guide recruitment and placement of staff for audit review.
She held that the absence of such guidelines had occasioned uncontrolled recruitment, leading to bloated workforce owing to lack of optimal staffing levels.
“In the circumstance, the Executive may face challenges while placing staff in the appropriate jobs, since the available positions are not properly identified and denied in the organisational structure,” the audit says.
Auditor has also fingered the Executive for awarding a tender to construct its headquarters to a contractor who had abandoned the site despite being paid Sh32.5 million.
During the year under review, the audit shows the county awarded a tender for the construction of its headquarters at a contract sum of Sh383 million for a period of three years effective July 11, 2018.
Similarly, the county assembly of paid over Sh2.5 million to ghost workers in the 2018/19 Financial Year.
This is despite the payroll revealing that there existed employees who were earning less than a third of their basic pay during the year under review.
