Governor Sospeter Ojaamong: Controller of Budget holding back ward funds

Governor Sospeter Ojaamong has requested MCAs to review their budgets for ward projects as they wait for money to be released for implementation.

Speaking to journalists after a closed door meeting between the executive and MCAs held at the assembly yesterday, Ojaamong said ward development funds have been held back due to the Controller of Budget's failure to approve the Ward Development Act.

The county boss said the assembly's committees will scrutinise the document, which will be tabled today, so that it can be determined if the stated projects tally with what the MCAs pledged at the grassroots level.

The governor's move comes a few days after MCAs threatened to impeach him and his Finance Executive Leonard Obimbira over alleged delayed ward development funds.

Led by the Project implementation Committee Chairman, Fred Musirimba, the MCAs had claimed they are yet to receive the Sh10 million per ward which had been put aside in the 2013/2014 financial year to implement various development projects.

DELAY TACTICS

"The county is lagging behind in terms of development because of delay in remitting these funds and we are holding the governor responsible for this," Musirimba said.

The MCAs accused the Executive of employing 'delay tactics' by requesting the assembly to review their projects budgets before the money has been released for their implementation.

Obimbira, however, absolved the executive from blame over the delay in releasing the ward development money, saying it has been occasioned by the Controller of Budget's office who are yet to approve the expenditure.

"No development fund has been approved by the Controller of Budgets countrywide and Busia is no exception," he said adding that the matter is still being reviewed.

The Finance Executive explained that as a result of the delay, their ward projects can now only be funded through development credit from the county government and this calls for a review of projects to be funded under this arrangement.