Youth ministry on the spot over Sh1bn wages

The Ministry of Youth is on the spot over a Sh1 billion delayed payment of wages to temporary employees that was not disclosed in the list of pending bills.

A fresh audit shows that the State Department for Youth made a payment of Sh1 billion in the year to June 2019 for outstanding bills in form of wages, Saccos and Huduma Kitchen payments for the financial year 2017/18.

“However, examination of the reported list of pending bills for the financial year 2017/18 does not reflect this amount in the reported balance.

“As a result, it was not possible to confirm the nature and basis of arriving at the figure of Sh1 billion paid as pending bills in form of wages during the year under review,” Nancy Gathungu, the Auditor-General says in audit findings dated December 11, 2020.

The report, tabled in Parliament by Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya shows that the Department for Youth paid a total of Sh2.2 billion under compensation of employees which includes payments totaling Sh1,012,068,527 given out as basic wages for temporary employees.

Ms Gathungu said the Sh1,012,068,527 includes a payment of Sh1 billion in respect of outstanding bills in form of wages, Saccos and Huduma Kitchen payments for the financial year 2017/18.

The auditor further questioned payment of Sh1.32 billion in form of historical pending bills incurred at the National Youth Service Headquarters and various field stations.

Ms Gathungu said Sh1,324,101,782 was transferred to the Director-General’s account form which Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIEs) were issued to the field stations as per the request for funds.

“However, no evidence was attached to the payment documents to demonstrate that the pending bills settled were in the list approved by the Multi-Agency Pending Bills Committee.

The government set up a Multi-Agency Pending Bills Committee to scrutinise NYS pending claims after theft scandals hit the youth training agency.