Africa-Press – Zambia. Ministry of Finance and Smart Zambia has partnered with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) to effective communicate to the public on the new method of service provision using an online payment solution under an integrated system called Government Service Bus (GSB).
Ministry of Finance Chief Analyst for Budget Kayula Chimfwembe says the GSB system will be accessed throughout the country and will enhance quality service delivery and will also improve the provision of service to the public.
Mr. Chimfwembwe said this during the sensitization workshop on the online platform for members of staff at ZANIS headquarters in Lusaka today.
He said the implementation of the Government Service Bus is part of Smart Zambia’s transformation agenda aimed at modernizing public service delivery through digital technology.
“The system will help improve revenue collection and enhance efficiency in service delivery in the public service,” Mr. Chimfwembe.
He said through the system, payments can be done using a debit card or other mobile services to access government services.
Mr. Chimfwembe said government service buses will help to eliminate corruption and reduce on the time taken to access public services.
He said through the government service bus, people will be able to access various services such as firearm registration, fingerprints clearance and motor vehicle registration among other services that require payments.
“ What caused the government to come up with the e-government system is because government services were done manually which posed a lot of challenges such as poor services and customer care due to the increased number of population and which led to an increase in the cost of doing business,” Mr Chimfwembe noted.
And Zambia News and Information Services Director Patrick Lungu pledged to assist the government in communicating with the general public on the services being offered under the GSB portal.
“The GSB services investments will take Zambia to greater heights and the added services will add value on the one line platform for money not to exchange hands to pay for various services,” Mr. Lungu noted.
Meanwhile, Smart Zambia Team Leader Baeton Sibulobwa said the project is aimed at ensuring that quality service delivery is done in a more convenient manner to solve the challenges being faced currently.
Mr Sibulobwa stated that the Zamportal has 96 active services that can be accessed online.
Among the services listed on the Zamportal include different government departments such as the Road Safety Agency, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, National Registrations, immigration and forestry department.
“The benefits of the online payment platform GSB is that it will improve service delivery and will also reduce on revenue related quarries such as un accounted for revenue and delayed payments and also reduced interaction between public officers and the general public”, he noted.
