Govt roots for e-payments to boost revenue collection
Nairobi residents wait in a lobby to be served at the Huduma Centre at Teleposta Towers, Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
The online portal provide adequate details on all Kenyans starting from birth, acquisition of identity cards, driving licence, passport, NHIF and NSSF cards’ details with plans ongoing to include any documents issued to any Kenyans by the government.
The government has urged businesses and public entities to adopt e-payments for State services to boost revenue collection.
Interior ministry’s Integrated Population Registration Services(IPRS) director Mr George Anyango said banks, saccos, retail chains, the national and county governments were currently enjoying the benefits of online payments.
“Use of the government identity portal has revolutionalised the way we do business, we not need to carry hard cash to pay for services or purchase of goods. More private agencies have embraced the system and this has expanded our economy leading to less crime,” he said.
Mr Anyango said they had managed to computerise identification details of 35 million Kenyans with details of the remaining Kenyans who are 17 years and below under consideration.
Background checks
The online portal provide adequate details on all Kenyans starting from birth, acquisition of identity cards, driving licence, passport, NHIF and NSSF cards’ details with plans ongoing to include any documents issued to any Kenyans by the government.
“The IPRS system has facilitated the National Digital Payment System run by the treasury-e-Citizen, the Nairobi County Government’s e-Wallet, Ministry of Labour’s Social Benefits Programme, numerous online based banking portals and the soon to be launched Central Bank of Kenya mobile phone based system that will enable Kenyans to trade in government stocks,” said.
The IPRS database has also been instrumental in providing background checks to government agencies that offer different services notably Immigration department, National Hospital Insurance Fund, National Social Security Fund, the Higher Education Loans Board among others.
The IPRS system has helped banks and insurance companies to root out fraud where some unscrupulous individuals forge identifications documents and proceed to make claims for compensation.
