The Senate has commissioned a probe to establish whether Vihiga County paid Sh55 million to ghost workers for the month of September 2021.
The Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare will investigate allegations that a number of employees are drawing salaries from the payroll yet they cannot be physically traced in the county records.
The committee is expected to disclose particulars of these ghost workers based on the available internal data and bank account details.
Vihiga senator Godfrey Osotsi, who sought a statement from the committee, said there have been delays in finalising an audit process on salaries for all employees on both manual and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) payrolls, particularly for the Month of September 2021.
He claimed the audit by the Vihiga County Public Service Board showed expenditure on salaries for the month was Sh213.1 million while an analysis of employees at the workstation established the actual total spending was Sh158.9 million.
“The committee should determine the number of Human Resource audits undertaken so far in Vihiga County Government, their outcomes and specific actions,” he stated.
He added that the committee should state the targeted measures put in place by the county government to stop further loss of public funds through monthly payments to ghost workers, indicating the steps taken to recover public money paid to the said workers.
Ghost workers have been draining millions in taxpayer funds in the counties, a situation made worse by illegal recruitment and promotions of workers.
Recent reports have shown that counties continue to spend the lion’s share of the budget to pay salaries, overshooting the legal ceiling.
Regulation 25 (b) of the Public Finance Management (County Governments) Regulations, 2015 provides that the county government’s expenditure on wages and benefits for its public officers shall not exceed 35 per cent of the county government’s total revenue.
Osotsi further wants the Vihiga County Public Service Board to appear before the committee to shed light on the matters he has raised.
The senator also wants the House to order an audit of the human resource function in the counties to ascertain optimisation and prudence in the use of public funds, saying the majority of the counties are spending beyond the capped 30 per cent of budget for remuneration.
