- Mohamud Abdi another staff said some of them have already retired and gone home without their gratuity.
- He further disclosed that the college is currently servicing a loan of Sh20 million which was used to build staff quarters.
Non-teaching staff at the Garissa Teachers Training College on Tuesday held a peaceful demonstration over unpaid salaries for 9 months.
The 52 labourers who included cooks, watchmen, carpenters and gardeners said numerous efforts to seek audience with the college management have not been successful.
Speaking to the press Mohamed Aden, one of the staff urged the local leaders led by area MP Aden Duale to intervene and help them get paid.
“This situation has really taken a toll on us, nine months without salary is like a year. Imagine having a family that depends on you as the sole breadwinner yet you can't provide,” he said.
Mohamud Abdi, another staff, said some of them have already retired and gone home without their gratuity.
“We have tried to seek an audience with the school principal but he keeps shifting the blame saying the problem lies with the national government which has not disbursed the money. How true that is we don’t know,” Abdi said.
Speaking on the phone, the principal Peter Mogochi acknowledged that the workers have not been paid since January.
However, he absolved himself of any blame and cited the national government for not availing funds for two financial years.
“There is a grant which the government is supposed to give us every quarter and we depend on it to pay salaries," Mogochi said.
"The government also slashed the grant based on the number of students we have, we used to get Sh4.5 million but we are currently getting Sh2.2 million which can only cover one month. Our huge wage bill which stands at Sh1.3 million per month is also not making things any better."
He further disclosed that the college is currently servicing a loan of Sh20 million which was used to build staff quarters.
“The government should give us a grant not based on the number of students to enable us to find a solution for the salary delays,” he said.
He also blamed the delays in payment of salaries to the excess number of subordinate staff at the college. Mogochi said they currently have 54 subordinates against an expected 23.
“I have tried reducing the number but I have been met with a lot of resistance because the issue is always politicised whenever I raise it,” he said.
The college currently has 44 students.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)