Automation grows county revenue by Sh163m

Revenue collection in Tharaka Nithi has risen from Sh79 million in financial year 2016/2017 to Sh242 million in financial year 2017/2018.

Governor Muthomi Njuki (pictured) attributed the growth to digitisation of crucial revenue streams. He said the collection had grown by more than 80 per cent in the past two financial years.

“This upward trend in collection is attributed to well-coordinated enforcement, effective supervision, staff reorganisation and automation of revenue collection,” the governor said.

Making his state of the county address at the local County Assembly, Njuki said as a result of the revenue growth, the Gross County Product (GCP) Report of 2019 had placed Tharaka Nithi as one of the fastest growing counties in the country.

 “We were among the best counties which recorded over 3.5 per cent growth in economic activities in the period under review,” said Njuki.

In the current financial year, the governor said the government has set aside Sh20 million for empowerment of coffee farmers and a similar amount for those engaging in tea farming.

The county chief challenged MCAs to assist him improve community health services saying he bought two ambulances to help realise the Universal Health Coverage.

Njuki termed recruitment of 1,000 community health volunteers to monitor the health status and create awareness as one of the milestones in realisation of a healthy County.

"These are attached to our community health facilities where they make reports and have enabled us succeed in community health mapping," said the governor.