West Pokot County unearths 2300 ghost workers.

The West Pokot County government has unearthed more than 2300 ghost workers who have been drawing salaries from the County government.

The County Government is set to undertake an audit to weed out all ghost workers who are draining millions in taxpayer funds.

The review is meant to save millions of shillings pumped out annually by the local government to pay non-existent employees fraudulently placed on the payroll.

It will also investigate illegal recruitment and promotions of workers, who are minting millions in salaries and allowances.

Governor Simon Kachapin who on Thursday made an impromptu visit to Kapenguria County Referral hospital for inspection said the audit will help reduce the ballooning wage bill in the County.

“There are 2384 casual workers from 900 which I employed during my term as the first Governor. 1800 was added. I started with no employees. Those working are only 1000, where are others?” He posed.

He pointed out that he is doing an audit and the preliminary results show that there are many ghost workers.

“We shall target all devolved departments. This County is among those with bloated wage bills yet there are no drugs in hospitals. We shall surcharge them,” he said.

Governor Kachapin warned County workers who engage in corruption citing that he will not tolerate them.

“Some County workers are involved in politics. Some were even agents of political parties yet they are civil servants,” he said.

Kachapin, who spent six hours in the hospital on his third day of working since he was sworn in, noted that he will improve the hospital warning over misuse of public resources.

He also waived bills of patients who are unable to pay the bills and stayed in the hospital for long.

“We have one who has stayed in the hospital for six months from Baringo. We have given him fare to his home,” he said.

He said that they will ensure they put in place good mechanisms of procuring drugs.

“The drugs should have the value of money. That must be their accountability of drugs,” he said.

He cited that he will continue with the projects that he initiated as the first governor and were left.

“These are public resources and should not be wasted because of political expediency,” he said.

Kachapin warned County workers who engage in corruption and misuse of public resources citing that he will not tolerate them.

“Some County workers are involved in politics. Some were even agents of political parties yet they are civil servants. That is the lowest a civil servant can go,” he said.

“Some were promoted in 2014 while some have been promoted this year and that is unfair. This kills the morale of workers. Let’s take our workforce as one. We shall promote without discrimination or your political inclination,” he added.

West Pokot Deputy Governor Robert Komole cautioned over lateness of workers.