Effect Of Biometric Technology On The Efficiency Of Beneficiary Payments In South Sudan Safety Net Projects

Abstract

The safety net projects are currently spread in over 131 countries where 2.5 billion people are benefiting from the program with 650million of them being drawn from the poorest. The safety net project comes in the form of non- contributory transfer programmes aimed at alleviating poverty amongst the poor and a shock cushion to the vulnerable thus to achieve an effective and efficient payment exercises in the Safety Net Projects that is benefiting the forementioned mission, there is need to address the fundamental challenges of positive identification of beneficiaries, the diversity of cultural practices that may be stumbling block, illiteracy and societal rot which have been constant thorn in the flesh towards achieving efficient beneficiary payments exercise. The research was carried out to study the effect of biometric technology on the efficiency of beneficiary payments in South Sudan Safety Net Projects. Specific objectives were to ascertain the effect of Biometrics technology on beneficiary identification, naming convention, payment to the illiterate and safeguards in achieving efficient payment exercise. The study derived its theoretical navigation from the Identity Theory, Theory of Naming, Principle of Verification Theory and The Fraud Triangle Theory. The study applied Descriptive research tactic. Closed ended Questionnaire distributed by means of proportionate stratified sampling was instrument used in data collection that was used in regression analysis where a Target population of 1,309 hailing from the Seven states and one administrative area comprising of Central Equatoria; 421, Eastern Equatoria; 218, Jonglei; 110, Upper Nile; 116, Warrap; 219, Western Bahr El Ghazal; 116 and Pibor; 109. responded. Northern Bahr El Ghazal was excluded as only two beneficiaries were registered. Attained data was analyzed using excel and STATA where various analysis such as exploratory factor analysis, normality, Linearity, correlation and multiple regression analysis were carried out. Key research findings were presented by means of percentages and frequency distribution, measures of central tendencies summarized in graph, tables and figures. The study established that positive beneficiary identification and safeguards was critical to the success of beneficiary payment process. The study also presented that the biometrics technology would significantly help in the circumnavigation of the cultural practices which results into beneficiaries possessing similar names as well as making light the burden faced by the illiterate who struggled with passwords, PINs and signatures to the efficiency of beneficiary payments. The study suggested the proposal of adopting biometrics in all Safety Net Programs, setting up of consolidated data base for efficiency and deduplication, consider conducting education, fortification of beneficiary selection and enrollment criterion. Suggestion submitted to future researchers that they consider exploring the most effective biometrics technology model options as well as running a deduplication to address beneficiary’s registration with aliases.