MCAs grill executive over projects over funding of ghost projects

Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) from Nyamira have begun grilling the executive over duplication and funding of ghost projects.

The MCAs summoned members of  the executive to a Kisumu Hotel to shed light on progress reports of a number of projects in their respective dockets.

Committee of Implementation Chairperson Raban Masira led the grilling process. 

Yesterday, Executive Committee Member for Health Janet Kumenda and Chief Officer Douglas Bosire were at pains to explain why projects for renovation and construction of a number of health centres were awarded yet the same works were being sponsored by the Constituency Development Fund.

Robin Mocheche (Bonyamatuta) and James Maroro (Manga) claimed some ghost projects were tendered and awarded in their respective wards by the county government.

"The county funded a male ward at Manga Sub-county Hospital which does not exist," said Maroro.

The MCAs accused the executive of presenting falsified reports, claiming some projects which were yet to commence had a 60 per cent completion status.

briefcase companies

This anomaly was raised by Speaker Joash Nyamoko, who questioned the capacity of the county health services department to undertake the 67 development projects.

Samuel Nyanchama of Itibo Ward alleged the county government had awarded tenders to briefcase companies, leading to delays in their completion.

Minority Leader Jackson Mogusu, on the other hand, accused the department of public works of approving bill of quantities that were "obviously exaggerated" without even making site visits.

Bosire assured the MCAs that no money would be paid to the contractors without the county government's inspection committee's approval.

He added that Sh68 million were spent during the last financial year to procure equipment for the county's health facilities. 

The county has procured a computerised tomography (CT) machine at the cost of Sh34 million which would arrive within two weeks.

Nyamira County Hospital, which is set to be upgraded into a level five facility, would be among the first public hospitals in the region to have the CT machine.

He added at least Sh5.4 million had been spent to install an Health Information Management System that has seen the hospital revenue increase by 100 per cent.

Since installation of the system, we are capable of collecting at least Sh110,000 daily compared to Sh50,000 that the hospital was previously generating.