Wage bill huge, say ward reps

The county assembly has raised the red flag over monies being spent on recurrent expenditure compared to development.

The county assembly has raised the red flag over monies being spent on recurrent expenditure compared to development.

While the county government’s expenditure on wages is not supposed to exceed 35 per cent of the total revenue, implementing the same has been difficult for the county government, the assembly Budget Committee said.

The Julius Mbijjiwe-chaired committee revealed personnel emoluments in the 2017/2018 financial year stood at 46 per cent of the county’s total revenue.

In the 2019/2020 financial year, the county treasury projects this expenditure to be down to 45 per cent.

“The committee notes with concern that despite raising concern of an unsustainable wage bill in Meru County in its previous reports, the county treasury has not specified any strategies to stem the unsustainable wage,” the committee noted.

On Tuesday, MCAs debated a statement by Public Service Executive Kiautha Arithi on status of the wage bill for the 2016/2017 and 2018/2019 financial periods done.

Adamson Muriki, Dennis Kiogora, Martin Koome, George Muthuri and David Kaithia, said there was need to ensure more money went to projects in the grassroots.

“The wage bill is huge, yet we need more money for roads and education. There is need to solve the problem posed by a ballooning wage bill,” said Mr Koome.

Betty Kinya said there was need to streamline the workforce to check the wage bill.

Speaker Joseph Kaberia revealed that the assembly had adhered to recommendations by Salaries and Remuneration Commission on hiring of workers.

Mr Kaberia said they have 74 staff against SRC's recommended of a maximum of 110 workers.

“We have not reached optimum levels but we are not on a hiring spree. We recruit on a need basis,” he told MCAs.

The county government plans to use Sh125 million to lease vehicles and road upgrade equipment.