Sh129 million lost to ghost workers in Migori

The county government has lost a whopping Sh129.6 million to ghost workers since 2013.

At least 46 of the fake employees unearthed have been taking home a massive Sh2.7 million every month.

The ghost workers were discovered following a headcount of all staff early this month, Governor Okoth Obado said yesterday.

On July 4, County Secretary Christopher Rusana wrote to all employees, asking them to present themselves for a headcount that took two days.

Employees were required to bring original letters of appointment and the latest promotion letter, if any. In addition, they were to bring pay slips for the past three months and an acknowledgement note from their heads of departments.

Obado, who released the report for the August 4 and 5 exercise, said ghost workers took advantage of those who left service without notification, unreported deaths, unexplained desertions of duty and transfers done before devolution or after counties came into being but were not documented to rob the county government.

ILLEGAL EMPLOYEES

“However, my government will ensure the money irregularly paid out is recovered,” the governor said.

He said illegal employees are hurting the county’s budget and validation of the payroll will save his government from the losses.

Obado said even though the county has employed 1,100 workers, it has been paying 2,700 people every month.

However, the county workers union has faulted the exercise saying it targeted certain employees.

The union’s Secretary General Baraza Nguka said: “We had agreed an independent body should carry out the headcount even as the county government seeks to streamline its list of workers. The county leadership went against this.”

He said the county government failed to keep the process free and fair as it had promised.

Nguka said some employees reported being harassed and feared they were likely to be declared ghost workers wrongfully. He claimed a revenue department employee was blocked from vetting even though he had his appointment letter.

“When I inquired, the official said the worker’s name appeared in the department of education and had therefore been receiving a salary wrongfully. It’s wrong to blame a worker if he had been transferred,” Nguka said.