CoG laments late funds disbursement
Delays in the disbursement of funds to counties is weakening the fight against coronavirus pandemic, governors warned yesterday.
The Council of Governors (CoG) lamented that the National Treasury is yet to disburse funds to counties for the last three months.
This, the CoG said, had forced county governments to seek bank overdrafts to make ends meet.
“In light of the delay, counties are unable to pay the statutory deductions as required by law on the ninth of every month.
In this regard, KRA needs to take cognisance of the prevailing situation as this has not only affected statutory remittances but also payment of contractors and allowances for Members of County Assemblies,” CoG chairman Martin Wambora said in a statement.
He said: “The Council, therefore, urges the County Assemblies to join the Executive in engaging the National Treasury to release the funds to Counties.”
“Further, the Council will convene a meeting with the Commissioner-General, Kenya Revenue Authority to find an amicable solution to the issue as we are aware that non-remittance of statutory deductions affects the collection of taxes,” Wambora, the Embu governor, added.
The 47 county governments expressed concern that they are straining to supplement the current oxygen and ICU bed capacity.
In the wake of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the counties say they are currently spending huge resources in isolation facilities for healthcare workers to cater for their accommodation and food during the fourteen day quarantine period.
“A case in point is Kakamega county which is spending Sh8 million per month which is not factored in the current budget.
We further note that resources given to county governments of Sh5 billion during the first wave was specifically for the procurement of isolation and ICU beds,” the Council observed.
“In this regard, the Council requests the national government to extend additional support to the County Governments to enable them to enhance their response measures in light of the current wave,” the statement said.
