Biometric system will help curb ghost workers – Shollei

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Gladys Shollei has called for the introduction of biometric systems to curb the menace of ghost workers. 

Speaking on Monday during an interview with Citizen TV, Shollei said prosecuting will not be enough to curb the issue.

This comes after an audit revealed that various counties have, over the years, been making payments amounting to Sh35 billion to non-existent employees. 

“We shouldn't look at prosecution as the solution, the solution is to fix the system so that all workers be identified through a biometric system,” Shollei said.

The deputy speaker said the issue of ghost voters also existed, but the solution came with the biometric identification of voters.

“EACC and the Auditor General should be recommending that a full proof system be implemented in all the counties, so that we stop the leakage immediately,” Shollei said.

She said those responsible for the payments ought to be held accountable.

Shollei said the ghost workers' payments are made by a chain of people and that it isn't just the governors. 

“There must be at least 12 other people who knew about this, it can't only have been the governor,” Shollei said.

Shollei said that the biometric audit that took place in 2014 that brought to light the existence of 12,000 ghost workers was only an event, but a permanent system ought to be put in place. 

She said that auditing only points out the problem, but the audit also ought to recommend a solution.

Recently, an audit revealed that Migori county has been losing Sh60 million annually to ghost workers and had discrepancies in the payroll.

The audit on the payroll showed a disparity of Sh120 million in a month and another ballooning to more than Sh200 million.

Vihiga was also in the spotlight after the Senate commissioned a probe to establish whether the county paid Sh55 million to ghost workers in September 2021.