•The 31 persons were listed by the county government in both Integrated Personnel and Payroll Data and manual payrolls where they earned salaries which have now caught the eyes of the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu.
•Appearing before the Committee, Governor Cyprian Awiti denied the claims but admitted that the 31 officers only received double payments in March last year when two systems were being merged.
Image: FILE
Senators are investigating a case where the Homa Bay county government could have used Covid-19 funds to pay 31 ghost workers.
The Health Senate Committee heard that Sh2.3 million was paid to employees who the auditors could not authenticate their existence.
The 31 persons were listed by the county government in both Integrated Personnel and Payroll Data and manual payrolls where they earned salaries which have now caught the eyes of the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu.
According to the special audit, the auditors could not ascertain the existence of the said employees as the county did not avail their personal files when demanded by the audit team.
“The special audit analyzed the IPPD data and manual payrolls for March to September last year and noted that 31 officers were earning a salary on both platforms,” Gathungu said in her report.
“The special audit could not establish the authenticity and existence of the employees as personal files were not availed for audit contrary to Section 9(e) of the Public Audit Act, 2015.”
According to the Gathungu, the officers collectively received Sh1,246,245 and Sh1,069,687 on the IPPD and manual system respectively for the seven months.
Appearing before the Committee, Governor Cyprian Awiti denied the claims but admitted that the 31 officers only received double payments in March last year when two systems were being merged.
Awiti however did not comment on the whereabouts of the files of the employees in question and why the county did not avail the records to the auditors for confirmation.
“With effect from April last year, no such payments occurred and only 3 remained in both the systems,” Awiti told the Committee.
“The management also confirms that none of the three officers has received the Covid-19 allowances nor expenditure related to the management of Covid-19 which was paid in July last year, none was paid the Covid-19 allowance.”
Gathungu has been auditing how the 47 counties used millions advanced to them by the national government last year and own-source revenue to combat the spread of the Covid-19 in the counties.
Homabay County according to the audit report received Sh219 million from various sources.
The county received Sh88 million GoK conditional grants, Sh7.4 million Danida funds, Sh66.9 million GoK frontline health workers allowance and Sh45.7 million from the county own source revenue.
The governor was also put to task after it emerged that the county overpaid a contractor by Sh100,000 who was doing the renovation and alterations to Children’s Block at Rachuonyo Level 4 Sub-county hospital.
The contractor Kevo Renovators was to be paid Sh2.9 million for the renovation work but the county paid him Sh3 million.
However, in his defence, the county government took responsibility for the overpayment explaining that two separate accounts were used to settle the payment hence the error.
Homabay CECM for Finance, Economic Planning and Delivery Nicholas K’Oriko told the virtual session chaired by Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri that the county will recover the extra payment from the contractor who has also committed to refund the excess cash.
“The contractor has acknowledged receipt of the same and has undertaken to refund the amount to the government or the government to recover from the works amounts owed to him of Sh2.9 million by the department of health services,” K’Oriko said.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris