Times Of Swaziland: IFMIS PHASE 1 TO GO LIVE NEXT MONTH

IFMIS PHASE 1 TO GO LIVE NEXT MONTH
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Nhlanganiso Mkhonta on 12/09/2024 09:14:00


EZULWINI – The first phase of the newly developed Umsebe Integrated Financial
Management Information System (IFMIS) is set to go live next month.
This was announced by the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, during the IFMIS
extraordinary steering committee meeting held at the Sibane Sami hotel
yesterday.This new digital platform, which has been given the siSwati name
Umsebe, officially commenced in May under the minister of finance’s
stewardship.IFMIS is a digital platform that helps governments manage and track
public money efficiently and transparently to enhance accountability. It ensures
funds are spent as planned, reduces fraud, and provides real-time financial data
for better decision-making.Yesterday, Rijkenberg said he was pleased to report
that, despite facing some internal challenges, they have made significant
strides. He said the implementing team from Rwanda Corporation has worked
diligently and in alignment with the schedule.“We are on track for the go-live
of Phase One, Release One, in October,” said the minister.
Introduce
The minister said this release will introduce the Chart of Accounts (COA) and
the planning and budget modules, mainly targeting the planners and budget
team.He said looking ahead, Phase two is set for April 2025 and would involve
the whole of government, while Phase three would follow in April 2026 to
complete all modules.He said the third and fourth financial years would be for
the integration with other relevant systems to ensure the completeness of the
PFM system cycle.Rijkenberg added that his ministry and government at large were
dedicated to ensuring the full implementation of UMSEBE. He said they have
established the IFMIS Project Management Unit specifically to oversee and manage
this project, and they were committed to ensuring it was fully staffed and
empowered.
Meanwhile, the Acting Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology
(ICT), Jane Simelane, commended the minister of finance for his visionary
leadership in spearheading this transformative initiative.Simelane said the
introduction of the local name, Umsebe, serves not only in localising the
project but also to embed it in the collective consciousness of the people,
signalling a new era of transparency and accountability in Eswatini’s
financial management.She said this project symbolises the dawn of a new day for
the public finance systems.
Approach
“I am confident that this forward-thinking approach and its successful
implementation will elevate our financial practices to new heights of efficiency
and integrity,” she said.The minister said the pivotal role of technology in
realising this vision could not be overstated. She said Umsebe’s success
hinges on government’s ability to harness cutting-edge technological
solutions.Simelane said the Ministry of ICT, through the Royal Science and
Technology Park (RSTP), stands fully committed to providing the requisite
infrastructure and technical support to ensure that the project’s objectives
are not only met but exceeded.“This is a defining moment—where the
intersection of finance and technology will determine the future of our
nation’s financial systems,” she said.
Simelane reported that the leadership of RSTP has already designated a dedicated
team of five ICT experts who would be deployed to the Project Management Unit
(PMU) on a full-time basis.She said in addition, a supplementary team of seven
officers would be on standby to provide assistance as needed. She said this
allocation of resources underscores their firm commitment to this initiative,
which they regarded as a national priority.