Revenue collection in Nakuru rose by twenty-four per cent in the last financial year according to the latest data from the county.
The county managed to collect Sh2.8 billion from Sh2.2 billion with the rise attributed to improved internal mechanisms and management in revenue collection.
This came as the county said that it planned to fully automate its revenue collection by the end of November so as to increase the revenue and ease the payment process.
According to the county executive committee member for Finance Dr Peter Ketyenya, the department is working to strengthen the revenue collection system adding that the target for the ended year was Sh2.65 billion
He said that plans are underway to collaborate with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) so as to come up with the county revenue board.
READ MORE
Inside Sh1.5bn project to revamp Nakuru's informal settlements
Nine-month-old baby stolen in Nakuru
Alarm over rising defilement, teenage pregnancy cases in Kuresoi
War Memorial Hospital set to reopen after appointment of committee
“In the last financial year we managed to collect Sh2.8 billion which surpassed our target of Sh2.65 billion and we are keen to raise the figures in the coming financial year,” he said.
Addressing procurement officers during a two-day training workshop in Naivasha, Ketyenya said that his department was targeting Sh3.1 billion by the end of the current financial year.
He said that plans were at an advanced stage to make sure that revenue collection was automated adding that the initiative would ease the cost of doing business.
“By the end of the November we want to make sure that we shall have a cashless system in the county and we expect this to boost our revenue even higher,” he said.
Ketyenya further added that the county was working on the valuation rules which are meant to determine land rates.
“We are in the final stages of this process and we shall roll out the rules which will also determine the issue around payment of land rates across the county,” he said.
On his part, the Chief Officer for Finance Joseph Muchinah Gitau challenged the officers to adhere to the procurement procedures and rules in their line of duty.
“The county is committed to improving service delivery to tax payers and I challenge the procurement officers to be diligent in their work,” he told the officers.
He termed the department as very critical adding that the workshop was meant to improve the rate of consumption in their development budget.
