Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has issued an order to Narok County Government to come up with a detailed payment plan for its pending bills that have reached Sh6. 6 billion, after it was revealed that the debt had increased almost nine times in just one financial year.
The watchdog committee was shocked to learn the debt rose nine times in one year. Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu in defense said the 6.6billion shillings debt included historical unremitted retirement benefits inherited from previous regimes.
Upon being summoned for audit queries by the committee, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu who was summoned to answer the queries, he blamed the inherited historical liabilities for the growing debt and argued that the debt was not a result of his administration only.
He said that about Sh1. 9 billion of the pending bills are related to unremitted retirement benefits whereas around Sh4 billion is a result of development projects brought about by the county government.
Out of 1.9billion shillings owed to pensions schemes by Narok county government, at least 400million shillings is accrued interest. The county governor is however optimistic the unremitted pensions will be cleared in two financial years.
The committee requested an analysis by age of the pending bills to determine the period of the debts and the creditors. Senators also pushed for a definite and achievable payment plan to clear the debts and eliminate further piling up.
Governor Ntutu gave a commitment to the committee that the county government is indeed determined to solve this matter and indicated confidence that the pension liabilities which have not been remitted will be paid off in full within two financial years.
The committee cautioned that if its directives are not adhered to, it may resort to imposing sanctions by pointing out that the Senate is tasked with protecting public funds and maintaining fiscal discipline in the county.
