PIC Governance And Education Questions Universities’ VCs Over Massive Financial Irregularities
The committee under session yesterday
By Our Correspondent
Worth Noting:
- The university officials will appear before the committee again on Thursday next week to provide evidence on all pending matters.
- On the other hand, The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) represented by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Ngumi responded to the questions in the auditor’s report on an observation that the university had paid Sh3,899,950 to four officers who had already exited service in the year under audit.
- Members described this as lack of professionalism and incompetency stating that the concerned officers should be surcharged.
The Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education led by Bumula MP Wamboka Wanami yesterday met with various institution heads summoned to respond to audit queries raised by the reports of the Auditor General for the last three Financial years.
The Vice-chancellor of the Technical University of Kenya (TUK), Prof. Francis Aduol, appeared before the committee to address multiple audit queries, including the inability to meet its financial responsibilities.
In the year ending 2019, the University was unable to make various payments such as payroll deductions, insurance premium deductions, bank loan deductions, Sacco deductions, and other statutory obligations, amounting to Sh1,589,679,264.
Prof. Aduol in the university’s submission stated that the financial constraints were as a result of capitation by the government.
“The funds received for the current financial year are less than the funds required for our payroll,” Prof. Aduol revealed.
The management of TUK was also questioned on two years’ salary payments to a staff member who was on study leave before the management realized the error.
As a result, the Committee ordered that the Head of Human Resource be held accountable for the mistake.
The members observed financial irregularities stemming from rental expenses that lacked proper documentation and were associated with the Vice-Chancellor’s residential home.
The authenticity and correctness of rental expenses amounting to Sh858,000 could not be verified.
The university officials will appear before the committee again on Thursday next week to provide evidence on all pending matters.
On the other hand, The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) represented by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Ngumi responded to the questions in the auditor’s report on an observation that the university had paid Sh3,899,950 to four officers who had already exited service in the year under audit.
Members described this as lack of professionalism and incompetency stating that the concerned officers should be surcharged.
The members requested more information about the reasons behind the delayed completion of a perimeter wall project that was part of a contract signed in 2012 to build a fence along the road leading to the main entrance of the university. The contract was worth Sh68,836,283, and by January 2020, an audit revealed that the project had only progressed up to the foundation level, even though Sh50,698,799, which is equivalent to 73.6% of the contract sum had already been paid.
On Tuesday next week, the committee will carry out additional inquiries into the delayed construction of various projects, such as an administration block and a water bottling plant, at the main campus of the university.
The investigations will take place at the JKUAT Main Campus in Juja Town.
At the same time, the National Council for NOMADIC Education in Kenya gave adequate proof to the auditors and also submitted a written proposal highlighting the specific areas that require attention to enhance the well-being of underprivileged students in the country.
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