Nyandarua County Assembly approves Sh830m allocation for pending bills

By , K24 Digital
On Thu, 16 May, 2019 11:02 | < 1 min read
Digital lending apps are leaving millions of Kenyans trapped in indebtedness, an expert has told the BBC. [PHOTO | COURTESY]
Kenya's Saccos are ranked the best in Africa. PHOTO | FILE
Kenya's Saccos are ranked the best in Africa. PHOTO | FILE

David Macharia @PeopleDailyKe

Nyandarua County Assembly has approved the allocation of Sh830 million in the county’s second supplementary budget to clear pending bills.

Budget and Appropriations Committee chairman Kiiru Gachomba said the move would save many families and businesspeople from auctioneers.

The Sh830 million will be used to settle bills accrued in the 2017/18 financial year and those inherited from the previous administration.

Some bills have been pending because they had not been scrutinised to ascertain their authenticity.

The supplementary budget comes a few weeks before the county government presents its annual budget for approval by the Assembly In the budget, the wage bill allocation has reduced by Sh30,369,932. It has been standing at Sh1.9 billion.  

“The reduction in allocation to employees compensation is evidence that the county has been having an overstated wage bill, which has continuously impacted negatively on the amount of available funds for other competing needs of our people,” said Gachomba.

The budget committee said Sh10 million that had been allocated to building of the county headquarters has been diverted to renovation of county government offices.

The County Public Service Board was allocated Sh11,688,476, which was below its previous five-year average of Sh14 million.

However, the Assembly increased the allocation to Sh12,658, 474. The Sh382,647,811 that had been set aside for a potato, vegetable and sugar beet processing plant has not been committed.

Allocation for the plant’s feasibility study has also not been committed or spent as well.  “The lack of a feasibility study for the plant is delaying implementation of the project,” said Gachomba.