The Chairperson of the Council of Governors and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has warned Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o the controller of budget, that the council is ready to take legal action and petition to both Parliament and Senate for her removal.
Abdullahi termed the controller of budget as extremely unreasonable for subjecting counties to unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks when accessing funds, a situation he says is not only frustrating but unacceptable.
“Why we have to carry invoices, contracts and receipts all the way from Wajir County and queue in her office for weeks to access money, I do not understand. This is hell that every county government has been taken through,” said Abdullahi.
The chairperson conclusively remarked that there is no controller of budget for county government and another for national government. In addition to his remarks, he questioned the government on the difficulties of accessing county government money that added up to only 9% of the annual budget despite the national government allocating it.
As a result of these predicaments, Wajir County has faced educational challenges among others. The Governor highlights inability to pay school fees for children that are dependant on the said funds, this in turn according to Abdullahi is limiting devolution and making life difficult for everyone in the chain.
Ahmed Abdullahi stated, ” I have about a hundred and thirty million shillings which I have to disburse between now and end of June for bursaries.” This is after he signed intergovernmental partnership agreements with the ministry of Education.
Despite the needs for county government funds, the controller of budget has yet to approve the expenditure plans for counties to receive allocations for April and May according to the council. As a consequence of this, the Chairperson also accused Margaret Nyakang’o of high-handedness and bias.
Governor Abdullahi further decried the ripple effect of the delays, noting that counties are now struggling to sustain key development programs due to the financial chokehold, even after presidential pronouncements in support of timely disbursements.
“The President has spoken on this issue, but government bureaucrats are still making life difficult for everyone. It’s time for action, not more talk,” he concluded.
