Governors now want the Exchequer to extend the closure of the Ifmis system.
This will allow for the absorption of counties’ equitable share which has been pending for the last quarter of the financial year and allow the devolved units to spend the money.
Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa said Tuesday that Treasury should hasten the release of monies owed to devolved units for the months of April, May and June in the current financial year.
“I ask Treasury for to extend the Integrated Financial Management Information System closure so that when money comes we manage to access the funds to pay contractors," Barasa said.
The governor said the National Treasury should ensure that the money reaches the grassroots, because the year is ending this weekend yet counties are still owed Sh98 billion.
“As counties we have not received money for the last three months as we head towards end of this financial year yet we have ongoing projects,” he said.
Counties will continue to pile up pending bills if the funds are not released on time, the Council of Governors Finance and Economic planning chairperson said.
“As of May 2024, the National Treasury had disbursed up to March allocations, with Sh34.69 billion and Sh32.76 billion outstanding for April and May 2024,” he said.
The delays had greatly affected their absorption rates and resulted in outstanding bills, affecting budget implementation.
Barasa was speaking when he inspected the ongoing upgrade of the Mahiakalo-Nyayo-Tea Zone road to bitumen standards as well as the construction of the Rev George Abura Bridge in Shirere, Lurambi constituency.
Governors have been raising concerns over the consistent delays in disbursement of funds, even as the National Assembly agreed to allocate Sh400 billion for the financial year 2024/2025.
On May 6, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said as at March 31, the total amount of pending bills reported by 47 counties was Sh150.66 billion.
