Nakuru PSB on the spot over unqualified staff, many casuals

Casual labourers unblock a drainage system in Nakuru in a past photo. An EACC report shows that the county hired more casual workers than the number that was approved and in some departments it hired unqualified professionals. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The report noted that some of the departments employed more casuals than the approved number.
  • Some officers were recruited or promoted without meeting the minimum criteria, it says.

The Nakuru County Public Service Board is on the spot for hiring unqualified people in the internal audit department.

A corruption risk assessment report done by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) says the board erred in employing the officers without following the employment procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

For instance, applicants for internal auditors, Job Group K, were required to have a bachelor’s degree in Commerce (Accounting and Finance option or its equivalent) and Certified Public Accountants (CPA) II or have passed CPA part III.

However, some officers were recruited without meeting the minimum criteria.

“This opens a loophole where positions are filled with officers who are not capable of executing duties of the higher grades effectively, resulting into inefficiencies in service delivery,” said the report.

HIRING

The report also noted that some of the departments employed more casuals than the approved number.

Environment, Natural Resources, Energy and Water department in Naivasha was supposed to recruit 45 casuals but it hired 52.

Other departments in Naivasha Sub-County had been allocated 50 slots for casuals but 73 casuals were recruited resulting in an extra expenditure of Sh230,000.

The Lands, Housing and Physical Planning department was supposed to employ 12 casuals but hired 48.

“This is a loophole that may lead to idle labour and wastage of county resources on the wages of extra casuals,” said the report.

RECORDS

The department of Public Service Management and Administration was faulted for not having a comprehensive database of all casuals employed in the county.

The report compiled by EACC between July and September last year shows that some officers in the county were promoted yet they did not meet the requirements.

Staff in the Procurement department were promoted without adequate skills.

PROMOTIONS

For instance, the executive promoted an officer with general office service qualification from Job Group D to Job Group N, Principal supply chain officer.

“A principal supply chain officer must have a diploma, a Bachelor’s degree and must have attended a senior management course in supplies management,” said the report.

EACC says promotion of staff without adequate skills violate the provisions of the Public Service Scheme of Service for procurement officers.

“This is a weakness which may lead to professional ineptitude in the procurement practices,” said the EACC report.