Smart cards to help NSSF tame graft and curb losses

A leading global information technology services provider has relaunched an ambitious national social security fund solution in Africa that will enable the institutions to uniquely identify their members.

Individual countries that will acquire the new technology, known as members’ identification management system and launched by Techno Brain Ltd, will use automated fingerprint identification system to trace its members.

The fingerprints are then used to generate a unique identification number, called NSSF number.

According to the firm’s country manager Alfred Mugo the fingerprints are stored in smart cards, which are issued free by the fund.

“Members’ fingerprints are verified against the fingerprint stored in the smart card before processing their claims. The system provides unique identification and allows capturing of members’ details through electronic forms, photograph using digital camera, fingerprints using live fingerprint scanners and verification of the identity of insured persons against the biometric fingerprint data stored in the identification card,” he said.

Analysts project the new development to restore sanity to East Africa’s national social security funds that have over time been accused of grand corruption and mismanagement of members’ funds, leading to loss of millions of dollars.

The reform is also likely to help control cases of “missing files,” which have become a norm in these institutions.

The new system is operational in Tanzania, where a central system for unique identity card generation has been installed at the NSSF headquarters in Dar es Salaam.

In addition, service points at all the 23 regional offices throughout the country have had the service installed.

Mr Mugo says the solution has also enabled Tanzania’s NSSF to create mobile registration terminals, which saves members the cost of going to the institution’s headquarters for services.

To bolster its presence across the world, Techno Brain has partnered with leading information technology organisations such as Microsoft, Oracle, 3i Infotech and Serenic Corporation.

Software support

According to Mr Mugo, the co-operations have enabled the firm to offer the best solutions available to its clients.

As a Microsoft certified partner, Techno Brain now has access to all resources of Microsoft and gets tremendous support from the software major, paving the way for providing cost-effective solutions to its clients. Currently, the firm has offices in more than 11 countries in the region.

They include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. Outside the continent, the firm has established offices in Australia, India and the US.