Woman Reps on the spot in funds misuse
Mercy Mwai @wangumarci
Woman Reps are on the spot over misappropriations of funds running into billions of shillings.
A report by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu for the year ending June 2019 reveals massive irregularities in how funds allocated to the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) have been utilised.
In the report, Gathungu flagged irregularities in the disbursement of Sh2.3 billion, which the various county committees said they did not receive.
“Financial statements reflect disbursements to counties totaling Sh2,253,547,922. However, the amount has not been confirmed by the various county committees as having been received,” the report.
She also raised concerns over the re-allocation of funds to various counties, which she termed as irregular.
Gathungu noted that while Migori was entitled to a total disbursement of Sh53.6 million, Sh10.7 million, representing 20 per cent, was for Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) project, however, the NGGAF board approved reallocation of Sh6.9 million representing 65 per cent of the funds to bursary and scholarships in the second quarter.
“The re-allocation exceeded the maximum limit of 10 per cent of the funds allocated during the year and was for projects that were not in the same sector contrary to the regulation,” she said in the report.
In Turkana, the report shows that for the fourth quarter, funds for value addition projects amounting to Sh2.5 million were reallocated to other unrelated projects of vehicle maintenance at Sh500,000, fuel Sh200,000, launch of sanitary towels expenses Sh350,000, sensitisation and mentorship programme for students Sh1 million and committee allowances Sh400,000, all which were not in the same sector.
On operations of the various NGGAF county committees, Gathungu raised concerns over unauthorised activities and expenditures in various counties.
Review process
She regretted that various counties undertook a number of projects at a cost of Sh191,345,302 upon approval but which were not supported during the review process at the approval stage.
“No explanation has been provided for the anomalies and it has not been possible to confirm whether the fund obtained value for money in incurring the above expenditure,” she said.
In Kiambu, the NGAAF office incurred Sh1.2million on a medical camp for breast and cervical cancer screening, general medical check up, ENT, issuing medicines and the National Hospital Insurance Fund registration all of which are functions of the county, according to the Auditor.
She also raised concerns that the county committee also spent Sh927,235 and Sh512,000 on food items and administration expenses respectively contrary to NGAAF regulations.
Gathungu also raised concerns that the county committees in Garissa, Kericho and Nairobi counties undertook projects costing a total of Sh43.7 million, which no evidence had been submitted in support of their identification process, and invitation as required by the regulations before the implementation is approved.
On the other hand she regretted that eleven counties undertook procurements amounting to Sh130.6 million yet no procurement supporting documents were availed for audit verification and therefore was not possible to confirm whether the same was done in strict adherence to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and the fund Access Guidelines.
