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Nakuru sets aside Sh173mn for staff promotions, recruitment
What you need to know:
- The health department was allocated the lion’s share of Sh70 million for promotions and an additional Sh27 million for recruitment of health workers on contractual basis.
- The department is expected to hire more nurses and clinical officers who will be paid a salary of Sh30,000 per month. It will also employ medical laboratory technicians whose salary was not specified in the budget.
The County Assembly of Nakuru allocated Sh173 million to cater for staff promotions and recruitment in various county government departments in the 2016-2017 budget.
The move is seen as deliberate and aimed at stemming discontent among various cadres of county workers and encourage retention of critical manpower.
The health department was allocated the lion’s share of Sh70 million for promotions and an additional Sh27 million for recruitment of health workers on contractual basis.
It is one of the departments that have previously faced unrest among staff who have demanded better remuneration and promotions.
The department is expected to hire more nurses and clinical officers who will be paid a salary of Sh30,000 per month. It will also employ medical laboratory technicians whose salary was not specified in the budget.
The Assembly further allocated Sh63 million for the absorption of 35 intern medical doctors and dentists.
According to the chairman of the Budget and Appropriation Committee Mr Moses Ndung’u Kamau, the allocations are intended to promote and retain critical skills in the county service.
“This should motivate staff to scale up their performance and enhance industrial relations in the county with an intention of forestalling any future industrial action by the workers,” he said.
The Public Service Management was on the other hand allocated Sh25 million while the office of the governor was allocated Sh3 million for promotions.
The County Treasury will spend Sh21 million for promotion of staff while the department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries was allocated Sh19 million while the Environment, Water and Natural Resources Sh11 million for the same purpose.
The Assembly’s Budget committee recommended that the promotions should be effected in the first half of the current financial year based on merit and fairness.
“These promotions should be awarded to deserving staff only,” said Mr Ndung’u, the committee chairman.
The MCAs have set aside Sh15 million for the County Assembly Sports Association Games (CASA) and another Sh20 million for the Kenya Inter- Counties Sports Cultural Association (KICOSCA) games, which will kick off in Thika Town in Kiambu County from August 13.
Mr Ndung’u explained that the funds were set aside to promote sporting activities among county assembly members and staff.
The MCAs have also set aside Sh30 million for each of the 55 wards to finance various projects.
The disabled and other vulnerable groups in the county have been allocated Sh55 million while Sh110 million will be used on bursary for the less privileged students.
