The Social Security Fund of Rwanda (SSFR) Tuesday received a special certificate for its decentralised services. The award by the International Social Security Association was announced at the on going Regional Social Security Forum for Africa in Kigali.

It was in recognition of Rwanda pension body’s efforts towards reaching the informal sector, which is said to be insufficiently covered in the social security structure.

Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, the Secretary General of International Social Security Association, said that the jury’s ruling was based on the fact that Rwanda’s decentralisation strategy had improved compliance of employers greatly, through sensitisation. He added that decentralisation also increased service delivery and collection of contributions increased by 56.4 per cent.

The programme, the first of its kind, was to recognise good practices in the management of social security, and to raise the profile of improvements and innovation in the administration, operations and delivery of social security programmes.

According to information from the international jury, it is now coming to two years down the road after the SSFR commenced the process of reforming its operations.

The reforms were aimed at leading the organisation from good to great in terms of service delivery to its clients, stakeholders and the public in general.

Henry Gaperi, the Director General of SSFR said their decentralisation strategy was also set to reduce bureaucracy in claims handling.

He continued that it was also to increase coverage rate and bring services closer to the people to ensure easy facilitation in the collection of contributions and benefits payments.

"In SSFR decentralised efforts, 30 branches (at least one per district) were institute countrywide offering similar services like at the main headquarter,” Gaperi noted.

The awarding ceremony also saw other African social security institutions awarded the first ISSA Good Practice Award for Africa.

A total of 15 institutions from 13 countries were awarded for the effort in different disciplines such as good governance and risk management. These came from 27 submissions received from in Africa.

The National Social Security Fund of Kenya was awarded for initiatives to improve the administration of social security, while the National Social Security Fund of Morocco, won the first Good Practice Award for Africa for the introduction of an integrated information and communication technology approach.

Rwanda also joined Morocco and Uganda for a special mention to four other entries by the international jury.

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