Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro has put 15 doctors on notice after it emerged that they were earning salaries yet they are not offering services to the people of Kilifi.
Some of the doctors according to the Governor went overseas for further studies and exchange programs, and some never returned to the county even after their study durations elased.
The Governor said even though they are not working,they still appear in the county payroll, earning salaries for services not rendered to the public.
“What we have gathered is that for almost five years now, these doctors who were suppose to come back to Kilifi had not reported back. Some even went to work in other counties but they still draw salaries in this county. This amounts to corruption and my administration will not allow this trend to persist,” he said.
Speaking at Kayafungo ward in Kaloleni constituency, Kilifi county the Governor said the doctors were first working for the Kilifi county government before receiving scholarships to further their medical education under full payment by Kilifi county.
“Soon after completing their education, they sourced for greener pastures in other counties and some even abroad but failed to delist themselves from Kilifi county workforce hence continuing receiving salaries. We can’t allow this anymore,” he said.
Mr Mung’aro said, that habit was an apex of corruption that has seen Kilifi county loose alot of money. He said the doctors should just come clean, get back to work in the county or face legal action.
“I have give them two weeks ultimatum for them to immediately return to work in Kilifi or face full wrath of the law,” said angry Mung’aro.
He sighted that this behavior of ghost workers is not only bedevilling the medical fraternity but a trend believed to have affected a number of departments.
“I have already formed three taskforces to deal with one; ghost workers,two; pending bills and three; medical supplies to see that Kilifi restore it’s glory of good working environment,” affirmed the governor.
The Governor said he will not sit and watch public resources being misused by few hungry individual and assured the public that he was going to root out all illegal dealings and ghost workers within the county.
“My promise to the people during my campaigns was thoroughly dealing with corruption and we are now coming through for the same,” he said
The governor assured residents that he will set up new policies for county staff sponsored in different courses return to work for their county once done with the studies. That he said would end the current scenario where some staffs having been sponsored by the government never return to serve their people but rather go to look for greener pastures.
“We have lost a number of our big brains to other counties just because our sponsored staff opt to go for greener pastures after benefiting from the county government,” he said
