Kisii County government has a total of 1,314 ghost workers and 100 staff having fake disability certificates, a report by the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) has revealed.
Notably, between the year 2013 and 2021, 46 employees left the county government, 45 through retirement and one through death. These employees still appear in the payroll for October 2022.
The report indicated that between June and October, the county lost about Sh48.7 million through irregular rental and special house allowances paid to individuals against a circular issued by the Ministry of Public Service.
Remarkably, there was a sharp increase in wage bill in the 2021/22 financial year compared to 2020/21 and that amounts to over Sh600 million against the budget approved by the Controller of Budget.
Also revealed was that the county currently has 44 directors, 16 of those have questionable administrative issues.
The report was made public on Wednesday at the Gusii stadium by the IHRM Executive Director Ms Queresha Abdullahi and handed over to Kisii Governor Simba Arati for implementation.
She noted that between January and October 2022, total financial impact for the wrongful promotions amounts to Sh4.5 million.
“We recommend that employees who have benefited to be surcharged, officers who approved the irregular promotions to be disciplined and the county develop the performance management framework,” said the IHRM Executive Director.
Ms Abdullahi explained that the 1,314 ghost workers did not turn up for the staff audit exercise conducted in the county about two months ago.
She noted that the ghost workers have been receiving payments from the devolved unit without working and recommended that they should be held accountable.
Ms Abdullahi explained that the county government has 147 employees who have the Persons With Disabilities Certificates, out of which 100 have fake cards which means that the suspected culprits have been receiving privileges for the special category of people.
The report revealed that there is fraud of over payment whereby 32 employees with variants of their job grades in appointment letters versus pay slip. This cost the county shillings 8.5 million per year.
“Out of the 147 staff with the Persons With Disability Certificates, 100 of them are not valid. Through our audit we have 270 employees with relatives. The reason we are bringing this out is that there is risk when there is responsibility involved,” said Ms Abdullahi.
The report unearthed that there are 270 employees without personal numbers, which means they are being paid out of the county payroll system.
The Agriculture and Health departments have a serious deficit of specialists and there is a need to ensure that is rectified.
About 403 employees will be proceeding for retirement and there is a need for the county to put up an elaborate succession plan. The health department is most affected.
Notably, the county has 5,696 employees, out of which 2,427 are male while 3,269 are female.
Ms Abdullahi said they conducted the audit after receiving a letter of engagement last year in October from the then County Secretary Mr Patrick Lumumba.
“We also did the verification of certificates through the Kenya National Examinations Council. Given the nature of this report as it touches on individuals and the sensitivity of it, we are leaving it with the governor so that he can pick it up with those involved and the respective authorities,” said the Human Resource expert.
Ms Abdullahi who was accompanied by other senior members of her team pleaded with Governor Simba Arati to ensure that the report was implemented so that Kisii residents can get value for their money.
“As we did this audit, it’s important to note that we have gone over and beyond to ensure that anyone who was in the payroll has shown up and completed the headcount process. We have 1,314 ghost workers,” said Ms Abdullahi.
Mr Arati expressed dismay, noting that he will not be cowed into sympathy and submission by anyone and that together with other authorities in the county, he will implement the report to the letter.
“They can call me all the names they want. I am vindicated. They can write everything they want on social media, but here is the report on our sick county which is in need of remedy,” said Mr Arati.
