By Eric Omwombo
The County government of Siaya has introduced shell smart cards for fueling it’s fleet of vehicles.
According to Governance and administration chief officer Walter Okelo and Director Transport George Obare, the new initiative has been embraced positively by drivers and it’s working.
ADVERTISEMENTSThe county is rolling the programme in partnership with Kenya Shell.
They aim at ensuring proper management of of fuel, as fuel usage and cost will be monitored.
ADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTSSo far drivers for governors vehicle and county executives(cabinet Ministers) have been issued with cards and used to fuel the vehicles.
The leaders were meeting the County drivers at Siaya County offices where they said the system will help save money that shall be directed to actialise other programs that benefit Siaya residents.
“Our co-business is not fueling vehicles but service delivery and so the card is a reprieve on our side.
Each of the driver is entitled to a smart card and a tag. Incase the driver is transferred to another department, he or she hands over the smart card to his predecessors or the driver designated to the vehicle.
Okello added the fuel card will be topped up once in a week and adviced the drivers to manage fuel in their control,” Okello said.
it’s the three months consumption of fuel that will be analysed so as to help us budget for fuel of each department.
He further warned the drivers to only field vehicles when Instructed by administrators.
“We are not introducing the cards for witch hunt but a strategy to determine the vehicles consumption. Do not fuel the vehicles without the knowledge of your boss,” said Okello.
. We shall know in the next three months consumption of all the vehicles for each department
Obare said the card will be activated, specifically designed to the drivers codes to ensure security.
He said that the smart cards will enable government to monitor the activities of it’s drivers and lead a better informed service delivery.
Describing the idea as timely, Obare note that the fuel bill has been going higher and higher and the reason is because the system control were not in place which brings opportunity for pilferage and anything else.
Siaya drivers embraced the smart card initiative and appealed to the management to consider topping up the card adding that certain vehicles in governors convoy including the one assigned to protocol team
They also appealed to the CO to work out on certain funds that will help them mend puncture or wash the vehicles.
