Companies

State corporations in ‘big four’ plan face close scrutiny

nassir

Abdulswamad Nassir, Public Investments Committee chairman. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NMG

Parliament will expedite investigations into the financial statements of all State corporations that fall under President Uhuru Kenyatta’s “big four plan” to ensure sound investments.

The Public Investments Committee (PIC) says parastatals under health, agriculture, manufacturing and food security will be given top priority in the inquiry of audited books of accounts.

President Kenyatta announced late last year that he will focus on health, agriculture, manufacturing and food security as growth targets during his second and final term in office.

“We must look at specific parastatals in charge of the big four like National Housing Corporation where there are a lot of issues that we didn’t conclude in the last Parliament. We need to check parastatals going to implement Jubilee’s big four plan,” said Abdulswamad Nassir who chairs PIC.

Mr Nassir said the committee has summoned the management of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to appear before it next week to respond to audit queries.

READ: Uhuru bets on four key sectors to boost growth

PIC said KAA officials are scheduled to appear before it next Tuesday over multi-million shilling deals the authority has entered into with logistics company Transglobal Limited on its land.

The committee said it will begin an inquiry into KAA’s financial statements following Auditor- General Edward Ouko’s report that unearthed financial impropriety including the allocation of the authority’s land to private companies.

“We have already summoned the KAA management through a letter that has been dispatched. There are a lot of serious issues happening at the KAA that we must investigate urgently,” Mr Nassir told MPs on Wednesday.

The committee met with representatives of the auditor-general and the Treasury to plan for the commencement of investigations into financial statements of various State corporations as the 12th Parliament begins to execute its mandate this week.

Mr Nassir said NSSF management will also be grilled over its financial statements.