County to offer cash to staff as incentive

PHOTO | FILE The Nakuru County Assembly. The Nakuru County government will give cash incentives to revenue collection officers who meet and surpass their targets in a bid to meet its revenue collection target of Sh100 million a month.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• In the first six months of the 2013/2014 financial year, the county, which has 11 sub-counties, fell short of its target, raising only Sh350 million against a target of Sh600 million. Its highest collection, at Sh68 million, was realised in July last year.
• Mr Kapaya said the county government owes the national government Sh700 million owing to the high number of staff seconded to the county.

By FRANCIS MUREITHI
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The Nakuru County government will give cash incentives to revenue collection officers who meet and surpass their targets in a bid to meet its revenue collection target of Sh100 million a month.

In the first six months of the 2013/2014 financial year, the county, which has 11 sub-counties, fell short of its target, raising only Sh350 million against a target of Sh600 million. Its highest collection, at Sh68 million, was realised in July last year.
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Data from the county treasury indicated that the wage bill stands at Sh327 million per month, paid to more than 1,700 workers and hundreds of other workers seconded from national government under devolved functions.

“We only raised slightly over half of our target, but this is not good enough if Nakuru is to meet its development targets,” said Nakuru County chief officer in charge of Finance and Economic Planning, Parsaloi Kapaya.

Mr Kapaya also observed that a policy on how the incentives will be paid is being prepared and would be ready by June.


Speaking to the Sunday Nation in his office on Thursday, Mr Kapaya put corrupt revenue officers on notice, saying those found would be sacked.

Nakuru County has not fully embraced electronic revenue collection to boost income as most of its collection is done manually at the sub-counties.

At the same time, most of the 600 revenue officers are not conversant with the new County Finance Act.

Mr Kapaya said the county government owes the national government Sh700 million owing to the high number of staff seconded to the county.

Meanwhile, the official assured county workers, who included more than 100 that will retiring by the end of the current financial year, that they will be paid their delayed leave allowances this month. Non-payment of allowances has demoralised lower-cadre staff, a majority of whom are involved in revenue collection.