Governors want Ifmis devolved ‘for more efficiency’

Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has petitioned the National Treasury to devolve the Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis).

According to Oparanya, counties will achieve efficiency in the management of finances if Ifmis is taken to the county level.

He said it was wrong for some government officers based in Nairobi to control the flow of finances to counties through the system as they wished.

"Ifmis ought to be integrated with the systems at counties to enhance smooth financial transactions by devolved units," said Oparanya.

The former Council of Governors chairman said Ifmis was meant to ease counties procurement and payment processes but that has not been achieved.

Governors have been pushing for a devolved Ifmis system insisting that the move will reduce the risks of deliberate delays that continue to be experienced.

According to Oparanya, some government officers who do not believe in devolution have used Ifmis to frustrate county governments.