Ksh.4.3B unaccounted for by previous Vihiga County regime

A report by the Auditor General has revealed that the Vihiga County Government cannot account for Ksh.4.3 billion spent during former Governor Moses Akaranga’s administration.

According to the report, during the 2016/2017 Financial Year, Vihiga County failed to maintain an assets register and expenditures were not supported with appropriate ledger balances or schedules.

The report released by Governor Wilber Ottichilo on Tuesday further showed that the former administration irregularly procured a mini-bus  and made an over payment in the purchase of unauthenticated land.

The Auditor General’s office further pointed out that there was irregular issuance of imprests that also had no signatures from authorised individuals.

The report also disclosed inadequate documentation to carry out audit with accounting omissions and inaccuracies in expenditures being experienced during the period.

Flanked by his deputy Dr. Patrick Saisi and a host of County Executive committee members, Governor Ottichilo noted that a total of Kshs. 1.2 billion pending bills could not be confirmed although his government has budgeted Kshs. 200 million for payment of the pending bills, with additional amounts being budgeted for in respective departments.

“The accuracy and validity of the pending bills balance of Ksh. 1,180,505,788 as at 30th June 2017 could not be confirmed as correct as it was arrived at by calculating the agreed contract amounts against total payments for each project instead of the certified value of work done or good supplied against total payments made,” reads part of the report.

The report also disclosed inadequate documentation to carry out audit with accounting omissions and inaccuracies in expenditures being experienced during the period.