The governor of Kenya’s Isiolo County has put together a new team to sort out payroll irregularities and recover lost funds.
According to the Daily Nation, more than Sh1 billion (US$9.96 million) has been lost through improper salary payments over the last five years. An audit report by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) revealed irregular promotions, ghost workers, double payments, hiked job groups, double registration, exaggerated leave allowance and inflated arrears were all to blame for the situation.
One employee is said to have accumulated up to Sh55 million (US$547,800) in payment arrears, even though Isiolo governor Mohamed Kuti said: "It is not possible for an employee in job group L to accumulate such amounts in arrears, additional to his salary."
But the audit report reveals details of how some employees have been conspiring with payroll officers to swindle funds from the County’s Treasury. Some were paid their wages on multiple occasions, while others are said to have changed their ages by up to nine years or more to avoid retirement.
"Some employees have been receiving salaries twice, manually and through the computerised system. Others have fake identity cards and PINs, yet they continue drawing salaries from County coffers," Governor Kuti said.
As a result, he has put together a new team to tackle the issue and said the regional government will implement the IPPD's recommendations. It will also take appropriate measures to recover lost funds.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
The governor of Kenya’s Isiolo County has put together a new team to sort out payroll irregularities and recover lost funds.
According to the Daily Nation, more than Sh1 billion (US$9.96 million) has been lost through improper salary payments over the last five years. An audit report by the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) revealed irregular promotions, ghost workers, double payments, hiked job groups, double registration, exaggerated leave allowance and inflated arrears were all to blame for the situation.
One employee is said to have accumulated up to Sh55 million (US$547,800) in payment arrears, even though Isiolo governor Mohamed Kuti said: "It is not possible for an employee in job group L to accumulate such amounts in arrears, additional to his salary."
But the audit report reveals details of how some employees have been conspiring with payroll officers to swindle funds from the County’s Treasury. Some were paid their wages on multiple occasions, while others are said to have changed their ages by up to nine years or more to avoid retirement.
"Some employees have been receiving salaries twice, manually and through the computerised system. Others have fake identity cards and PINs, yet they continue drawing salaries from County coffers," Governor Kuti said.
As a result, he has put together a new team to tackle the issue and said the regional government will implement the IPPD's recommendations. It will also take appropriate measures to recover lost funds.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
