Over 175 institutions subscribe to GovESB

DODOMA: OVER 175 government institutions have subscribed to Government Enterprise Service Bus (GovESB) the architectural software designed for integration and interactions between applications, by September this year.

Deputy Minister in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance), Mr Deus Sangu, informed the Parliament here on Tuesday that this timely action will facilitate seamless integration and enhance overall government efficiency.

He said this in response to a follow-up question by House of Representatives MP Bakar Hamad Bakar who wanted to know the government’s progress in integrating systems to enhance transparency and accountability.

In response, the Deputy Minister said the government has been taking steps to ensure interoperability, the ministry, through eGA, has developed GovESB.

“As of September, this year, over 175 institutions have subscribed to GovESB, allowing them to exchange information, including key criminal justice systems such as the Police, Judiciary, and Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB),” he said

In his basic question, Mr Bakar wanted to know to what extent ICT systems help enhance accountability among public servants in the country.

In response, Mr Sangu said the government has continued to develop and strengthen ICT systems and infrastructure, including enacting the e-Government Act No. 10 of 2019 and its regulations of 2020, to manage the use of ICT systems within the government.

He said the government has developed various ICT systems, including e-Watumishi, e-Utendaji, e-Mrejesho, and e-Office to enhance accountability in the public service.

Mr Sangu further said the use of these systems has improved the management of government operations and the delivery of services to citizens.

Additionally, he said in the fiscal year 2023/2024, performance accountability for public servants and institutions was measured through the e-Performance system, where a total of 507,136 public servants, equivalent to 87 per cent, and 531 public institutions, equivalent to 93 per cent, had their performance assessed, which has helped increase accountability.

In a supplementary question, Alice Kaijage, a Special Seats MP, asked about the government’s plan for public servants in remote areas where there is no internet coverage, considering that these systems are also used to evaluate the performance of employees.

In response, the Deputy Minister said that, so far, there have been no complaints from employees about being unable to access the Public Servants and Institutions Performance Measurement System (PEPMIS).