Koskei calls for prudent use of resources in meeting with 38 PSs

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, on Thursday, met 38 principal secretaries at the Bomas of Kenya to discuss the effective and sustainable implementation of the FY 2023/2024 budget.

The meeting, convened by the National Treasury and Economic Planning, brought together accounting officers of ministries, state departments and independent commissions.

Koskei called for prudent use of the limited public financial resources, and zero tolerance to corruption, which he warned was spreading to an industrial scale in the country.

“As Accounting Officers, you are responsible for…ensuring prudent implementation of projects, elimination of non-strategic spending, improve on the efficiency in public spending and ensure value for money and zero tolerance for corruption,” he said.

He said that in the recent past, budget implementation has encountered a number of challenges as demonstrated by the frequent requests for reallocations and additional expenditures.

“You are therefore expected to critically review, re-evaluate and re-prioritize activities and accommodate any requirements within the available resource envelope.”

Koskei called on the PSs to speedily clear pending bills within their dockets, as the government strives to achieve “zero-fault audits” for the FY 2023/2024.

He further said the poor absorption of allocated funds by ministries and departments was worrying to the National Treasury as well as President William Ruto.

Koskei further called on the accounting officers to motivate their respective staff and avoid cronyism or favouritism in hiring or promotions at their places of work.

The PSs were led by National Treasury PS Chris Kiptoo, and his Economic Planning counterpart, James Muhati.  Dr. Kiptoo said no extra taxes will be levied on Kenyans without wide consultations.

Others present were Chief of Staff in the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Joseph Busiega, CEOs Kabale Tache (National Land Commission), Peter Leley (National Police Service Commission), and National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) Director General, Mamo Boru Mamo.