2 MINISTRIES UNDERTAKE ALMOST SAME TYPE OF PROJECTS

MBABANE – There are two projects almost similar which are being undertaken by government’s ministries.

The Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology and Ministry of Home Affairs are venturing into projects that are primarily centred on biometrics. It has been learnt that the estimated costs for both projects stand at E343 million. In the current financial year, the Ministry of ICT will undertake a project titled “Installation of Biometric Identification System.” On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ project is focused on the modernisation of Civil Registration and Immigration Systems, with the component of the EVISA, which requires biometric enrolment processes.

installation

The estimated cost for the Ministry of ICT’s biometric system is E80 million, while that of the Ministry of Home Affairs is estimated to cost E263 million. It has been established that a sum of E7 million will be utilised in this financial year to complete the ABIS installation. The ABIS involves the collection, storage and analysis of biometric data (like fingerprints, facial features and iris patterns) to accurately identify individuals. ABIS is utilised by various sectors, including law enforcement, government agencies and private organisations, for secure and efficient identity management. Experts in the field of biometrics stated that the ABIS is a sophisticated networked system that enables the identification and verification of individuals based on their biological characteristics. At its core, it is designed to handle the acquisition, storage and analysis of biometric data on a large scale. This technology is utilised by various entities to match biometric information against databases containing millions of records. It is understood that the purpose of ABIS is to provide a reliable and efficient means of confirming an individual's identity, ensuring that each person has a unique biometric profile within the system. The Ministry of Home Affairs’ project is titled ‘Modernisation of Civil Registration and Immigration Systems.’

project

This is the programme that the ministry undertook to include the component of e-VISA.  The estimated cost for this project is E263 million. A sum of E20 million will be released in the current financial year for system development and procurement of hardware and licences. As of March 31, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs has utilised E3 196 000 for the project.   The modernisation of civil registration is a project pioneered by the African Union (AU). It was about to take off when it was marred by controversies that resulted in Parliament setting up a select committee to investigate allegations of malpractice during the tendering stage. According to Government’s Voluntary Review Report on the status of implementation of the Global Compact for Migration in Eswatini (2022), the eVisa platform is currently being developed, which will see migrants applying for admission to Eswatini through automated information systems.

It is stated in the report that the modernisation of the civil registration and immigration systems will allow government to have accurate data on migration. With regard to civil registration, the African Union (AU) states that ICIVIL is the way to go for members, with Burkino Faso setting the trend. ICIVIL is a technological solution that aims to build a centralised digital civil registry through the use of new technologies. From the digital birth of a person to his or her digital death, all civil status facts (birth, marriage, divorce and death) are traced. This integrated solution for the registration of births and other civil status events is based on a mobile application. It is a packaged solution to subsequently enable the declaration, registration and issuance of birth certificates as well as other civil status documents. It is based on ‘bubble bracelets’ for the digital identification or authentication of newborns, guaranteeing the inviolability of digital identification throughout life and encrypted Short Message Service (SMS) to transmit information quickly, taking into account the poor connectivity and mobility realities.

As a practical measure, a unique and impossible to copy ‘bubble tag’ is integrated into the bracelet. The midwife (or other duly authorised person) scans the bracelet with the smartphone provided. A form is automatically generated for completion (including such information as the child’s gender and name and the parents’ biography). The data are then sent by encrypted SMS to the server of the national civil registry centre, which checks that the bracelet is valid and has not been used before.

eVISA

The eVisa is a digital immigration system, which replaces physical documents with an online record of a person’s immigration status. One of its benefits is that it is secure and cannot be lost, stolen or tampered with, unlike a physical document.

Biometric

As a part of the biometric enrolment process, a person’s fingerprint scan and facial scan is captured. A digital fingerprint scanner collects images of all 10 fingers, and at the same time a digital photo is captured. One’s digital photograph shows his or her full face. In all or almost all jurisdictions, the person undergoing biometric enrolment process cannot wear sunglasses, tinted spectacles, or a head covering unless it is worn for religious or ethical reasons. Applicants wearing head gear for religious purpose are encouraged to ensure that as much of their face, forehead and ears are visible.

In some countries, if the applicant has temporary injuries on his or her fingers, he or she is normally advised to wait until the injuries have healed. Fingertips are supposed to be free from any forms of temporary body decoration as it interferes with the working of the scanner. Section 9 (d) of the Royal Science and Technology Park provides that the functions of the Board shall be to oversee the coordination of policies and activities on science and technology; advise the government on the overall financial requirements including planning and assessment for implementation of policy matters relating to science and technology and disbursement to all agencies in respect thereof.

It is provided in Section 9 (p) that the RSTP shall advise the minister and government on all issues referred to it and other pertinent matters relating to science and technology. According to the legislation, the public enterprise is also mandated to scout for international investors for suitable science and technology programmes and projects in the kingdom. It is not clear if the ministries get advice from RSTP before embarking on projects. Sources said ‘that was not always the case.’ They said companies awarded tenders to carry out technological work for the government kept the source code, a situation that resulted in the RSTP unable to manage and develop the systems. The merging of the Government Computer Service with RSTP meant that the latter will house technological programmes for the government.

Senzo Malaza, the Senior Communication Officer at the RSTP, was uncomfortable to talk about the two projects being implemented by the Ministry of ICT and Ministry of Home Affairs until such time that he would be able to speak from an informed position. RSTP is under the Ministry of ICT. Mlandvo Dlamini, the Communications Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs, said even though they were actually not privy to the scope of the project being undertaken by the Ministry of ICT, ‘government is one.’ If the projects appeared to be focused on identical goals, Dlamini said there would be no harm in harmonising them for excellent service delivery.  Phesheya Dube, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of ICT, could not be reached for comment. However, the Ministry of ICT would have to undertake its project through the RSTP, its technology company.

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