Date:5th April, 2023.
Venue: Governor's Boardroom.
Governor Nyaribo has this morning received a team from the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare at his boardroom.
They discussed pertinent issues among them the ballooning wage bill,ghost workers, human rights and welfare of the tea estates workers, pension for Governor's and the status of People Living with Disabilities (PWDs) compliance in Nyamira County.
Governor Nyaribo, responding on the issue of wage bill and ghost workers he said the County Government had carried out a Skills Audit in the year 2020/2021 with an aim of assessing employees capabilities in relation to their overall role but the process flopped when the court intervened and stopped the implementation of the report.
"My brothers this is a hard pill to swallow, we have always tried to clean the wage bill,but the labour court gives us orders to reinstate the ghost workers illegally employed, so its implementation and getting justice is delayed" said the Governor.
He also said due to the huge wage bill, service delivery has been affected , if it is well tamed Nyamira will be at 35% from the current 54%.The former is enough for development and operations.
Commenting on PWDs he said his Government has absorbed quite a good
Number in the system because they have to meet a particular threshold to be accommodated depending on their qualifications.
Governor Nyaribo also raised the issue of delays in the equitable revenue share by the National Treasury, he said it's so demoralizing for the workers because it has caused financial crisis and operations are not moving.
"Kindly, let this issue be solved let's have a parity between the two levels of Governments we have been forced to borrow from banks to pay our workers", he said.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation the vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, George Mbugua Mungai promised they will look at the emerging salient issues and address them amicably through a joint committee between the COG, Chief Justice, Judges of labour so that they find a long lasting solution.
"Indeed this is sad state, we cannot kill devolution, there is no way one level of Government can be comfortable while another is suffering, if we can't stand firm the Senate, Governorship will all die, let's come up with measures that will safeguard our people and the Constitution, that's our mandate", Mbugua said .
They also promised to pursue the matter on Pension paid to Governors,which was thrown out in 2019 by the courts citing lack of public participation.
They further proceeded to the County Assembly of Nyamira to deliberate on critical issues affecting them.
Members present during the visit were; Senators;Okong'o Mogeni-Nyamira County, Alexander Mundigi-Embu County,Senator Crystal Asige-Nomited Senator and the County Executive Members.
By
Governor's Press Service Unit.