It’s been years and finally, ward members in the country will now be placed on the Government payroll system.
Today, the Department of Provincial and Local-Level Government Affairs (DPLGA), the Department of Personnel Management and the Department of Public Service came together to launch the LLG leaders on the Government’s Ascenda payroll platform.
Secretary for the DPLGA, Philip Leo described the proposed payment of ward member’s wages through the government’s Alesco payroll system as a ‘critical enabler for development’.
The launch will officiate the migration of 6,375 ward members, deputy presidents and mayors onto the payroll system.
Minister for Public Service, Joe Sungi, praised the government and the departments involved for their commitment to allowing ward members to be in the payroll system.
“This is one of the important milestones, decision number 322 of 2021 to direct the provincial affairs and the public service to start working on the process of putting our ward members on the payroll.
“As far as Public Service and Personnel Management is concerned, our priority now is to do as much as we can. This is the government now that will understand the public service system. There is no better time, than to have a Prime Minister who has come from of background of Public service including the Deputy Prime Minister as well as cabinet Ministers were in the public service. Making things happen is so important. My department’s priority now is to make sure payroll is transferred from Finance to the Department of Personnel Management”, said Minister Sungi.
He emphasized that they are working around the clock working as one government to help the payroll transfer from the Finance Department to the Department of Personnel Management. Currently, the DPM is not responsible for payroll.
In delivering his keynote address, Minister for Provincial and Local level Government Affairs, Soroi Eoe said; “Deputy presidents and mayors would be paid K350 per fortnight, whilst the ward members receive K300 each per fortnight. This means that the current government is injecting more than K1.93 million into the rural economy, increasing cash flow.”