Baringo tops in revenue collection as Nakuru fails to tame wage bill

A section of a road in Nyandarua County under construction. The Controller of Budget has released a report on implementation of budget by counties. [PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD]

A report by the Controller of Budget (COB) has revealed how counties spent money in the 2015/16 financial year. The expenditure on personnel emoluments in Nakuru County rose to Sh1.17 billion in the first quarter of 2015/16. This is a huge difference compared to Sh948 million spent during the same period in the previous financial year.

The COB report noted that Nakuru spent Sh313 million on development a slight drop from Sh327 million in the previous year.

Revenue declined from Sh461.93 million reported in the first quarter of 2014/15 financial year to Sh436.18 million.

The county government spent Sh16.7 million to purchase bulldozers, Sh9.5 million on construction of hawkers’ complex and Sh7.4 million to supply animal vaccines.

Some Sh3.75 million went to construction of modern toilets in Molo sub-county among other projects.

Baringo County attained the highest proportion of local revenue to its annual revenue target at 25.8 per cent according to a COB quarterly report after collecting Sh77 million in the first three months.

Kericho County collected Sh43.7 million revenue in the first quarter while Bomet Sh26 million, a decline from Sh35.01 million realised in the first quarter of 2014/15 financial year.

Nakuru, Samburu and Narok counties raised Sh436 million, Sh50 million and Sh617 million revenue from local sources during the period under review.

The expenditure on domestic and foreign travel by Baringo County rose to Sh30.73 million compared to Sh23.72 million in 2014/15, representing an increase of 29.6 per cent.

The county government spent Sh53 million on construction of ECD classrooms and youth polytechnics. Some 135 ECD classrooms are at different stages of construction across the 30 wards.

Baringo spent Sh50.30 million on construction and maintenance of 120km roads.

The Baringo County Health department spent Sh45.85 million on construction and rehabilitation of health facilities.

The county spent Sh386.2 million on development projects with Sh98.2 million going to purchase of medical supplies and equipment.

Nyandarua County spent Sh409.66 million on personnel emoluments and Sh157.57 million on operations and maintenance.

The report noted the expenditure of Sh25.61 million from the County Emergency Fund.

The funds were used to prevent Hepatitis B, rehabilitation of the JM Kariuki hospital road, famine relief in various parts of Ndaragwa sub-county, purchase of a generator, and culvert installation at the Engineer hospital.

The COB raised concerns over the high wage bill in Nyandarua County and failure by the Treasury to submit regular financial reports to the County Assembly and other oversight bodies contrary to Section 166 of the PFM Act, 2012.

Narok County government spent Sh307 million on development projects during the period under review. The county government used Sh104.35 million to gravel roads, Sh100 million to construct classrooms, Sh20.71 million to buy agricultural material and Sh42 million to tarmac Naregi Enkare road.

Narok County expenditure on personnel emoluments rose to Sh684 million in the first quarter from Sh447 million in the last financial year.

Kericho County spent Sh172 million to upgrade 150km access roads in 29 wards, Sh49.50 million to construct a burn unit, medical stores, operating theatre and surgical unit at Kericho District Hospital.