Laikipia wage bill reduced by Sh 200 million in 2018/2019 financial year

Laikipia County wage bill has gone down from Sh 2 billion in the first quarter of the financial year 2018/2019, to Sh 1.8 billion in the third quarter of the same year.
Governor Ndiritu Muriithi attributed the decrease to voluntary early retirement, which has seen 178 County workers exit from the payroll in 2018/2019 financial year.
He said his government has organised a program with  Kenya School of Government (KSG) to prepare those who are taking early retirement from formal employment, for the private sector.
Speaking on Friday at the County Assembly during the presentation of financial statement for the third quarter of 2018/2019 on Laikipia County government budget utilisation and revenue collection progress, Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said that his government is re- arranging its programs to ensure the tax payers are accorded services as required.
He said presently salaries and wages are taking 56 per cent of the total revenue collected in the County adding that it is eating so much money meant for development which calls for downsizing of the civil service cadres which are obsolete.
The Financial Statement presentation by County Executive Member Committee (CECM) in charge of Finance department Boniface Murungi Ndai, revealed that the County’s own revenue generation has continued to improve and as at the end of the third quarter of 2018/2019, a growth of 40 per cent had been recorded at Sh 573 million as compared to a similar period in 2017/2018 at Sh 408, 345,013.
“The County’s projected revenue for this financial year is Sh 800 million and as at the end of the third quarter it was at 72 percent to the target” Ndai noted.
The CECM pointed out that in the financial year 2017/2018 when governor Muriithi took over leadership, the County saw own generated revenue increase by 27 per cent, with Sh 608 million against Sh 478 million realized in the year 2016/2017.
Ndai however, noted that as of the end of the third quarter of year 2018/2019, Laikipia County had received only Sh2,406,339,000 billion out of Sh 4,113,400,000 annual approved budget, from the National treasury.
The CECM hailed the local residents for adhering to the tax regulations and appealed to the defaulters to pay their dues adding that own revenue source is the propeller of development in the Counties and Country.
He added the County has already started paying bills which have been approved by the Auditor General.
By Margaret Kirera