Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has been exposed on how he has failed to utilize a multi-billion shilling medical equipment leasing plan that was billed as the answer to the country’s health challenges.
The vocal member of team tangatanga team has been mentioned among other counties which include Uasin Gishu, Turkana and Vihiga counties.
Ouko says despite millions of shillings allocated to counties being deducted at source, some devolved units are yet to fully realise any benefits of the Sh63 billion Medical Equipment Services (MES) programme.
The high-tech equipment has not been utilised in some counties because of lack of storage space and skilled staff to operate the machines.
As a result, the Auditor General wants the 2015 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the counties and national government re-examined to determine whether taxpayers are getting value for their money.
In Turkana, which is among the regions hard hit by drought and hunger, the county government factored Sh95,744,681 for the purchase of specialised equipment and machinery, which was directly recovered by the National Treasury at source.
However, Ouko said the county headed by Governor Josephat Nanok, did not avail the leased equipment agreement for audit.
“As a result, the accuracy and completeness of fixed assets of Sh4,750,583,2017 as at June 30, 2018 could not be confirmed,” stated the report.
In the financial year ended June 2018, the Vihiga county government budgeted for a total revenue of Sh5,822,242,383, which excludes conditional grant of medical equipment allocation.
According to the County Allocation of Revenue Act, No 23 of 2017 Section 5(1), Sh95,744,681 was to be included in the budget estimates.
However, during the year under review, no inter-governmental agreement on leasing of medical equipment was availed for audit verification.
“The county executive management was in breach of law and the value for money, supply and use of leased medical equipment could not be determined,” said Ouko. County governments are reportedly paying double the agreed cost in the leasing programme.