Economy

Ouko: Tyres bought for vehicles that don’t exist

oukpo

Auditor-General Edward Ouko. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The Ministry of Education paid Sh459, 420 to buy 30 pieces of tyre specifications that don’t match its fleet of vehicles, audit report shows.

The matter raised in the Auditor-General’s report for the financial year 2016/2017 is now before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee chaired by Ugunja Member of Parliament Opiyo Wandayi.

According to the audit report, the ministry bought tyre sizes of 205/65R16n but a check by auditors in the state department of Education indicate that the ministry has no vehicles using such kind of tyre sizes.

Auditor-General Edward Ouko says in the report that the ministry failed to provide AN explanation why it procured the tyres contrary to the provisions of the public finance management Act

Section 68 of the act provides that an accounting officer should ensure that the resources of the respective entity are used in a way that is lawful, authorised, effective, economical and transparent.

“The validity and expenditure totalLing Sh459, 420 on tyres for the year ended June 2017 could not be ascertained,” Mr Ouko says in his report.

Mr Ouko expressed concern that by the time of audit, the tyres were still lying in the ministry’s stores hence questioned why public money was used to purchase them.

Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee, Principal Secretary Education Belio Kipsang’ admitted that indeed the ministry procured 30 pieces of the tyre which was informed by the users’ requisition.

User requisition

Dr Kipsang told the committee that by the time the tyres were brought, the vehicles that were to use them were still in garage hence the reason why they were still in stores.

“The vehicles have however been repaired and the tyres already fitted,” Dr Kipsang told the MPs.