The various initiatives that have been implemented under the Public Service Reform Programme are paying off. The initiatives include the introduction of an Integrated Personnel and Payroll System, (IPPS) that will lead to remarkable improvements in the management of the Government human resource information system.

IPPS is an Enterprise-worldwide Integrated, Computerized and Efficient human resource management Information System that will be used by Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Local Governments to undertake Human Resource Management Activities.Speaking in an interview recently, Ben Otim Ogwette, the Chief Administrative Officer Jinja District Local Government commends the new system, “it has helped in timely processing of the payroll which is vital in Human Resource Management, and there is accurate data of all employees in the district and also an improvement in the management of the payroll system.”

Jinja District Local Government is among the eleven pilot sites under the first phase of implementing the IPPS. This phase commenced and will run up to June 2011. The other sites in the pilot phase include; Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Ministry of Public Service, Health Service Commission, Education Service Commission, Public Service Commission ,Judicial Service Commission, Judiciary, Jinja District Local and Lira District Local Government.The subsequent phases 2 to 5, scheduled to commence with effect from 1st July 2011 to 30th June 2015 will see IPPS implemented across all Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and Local Governments.

IPPS has outstanding objectives of meeting the Governments requirements for strengthened accountability and control, improving the quality of Human Resource Information available to decision makers, driving efficiency and consistency in payroll, Human Resource Processing, and reduction on duplication, paper flow and manual adjustment. Once these are achieved, the IPPS will be of great benefit to the entire Public Service. The new system demands high levels of IT capacity. “There will be need for all users to have appropriate computer skills in order to be compatible with this system,” explains Ben Otim. This requirement according to Otim is no simple as people have been used to operating manually.

The Ministry of Public Service has however risen up to this challenge as explained by the Task Manager as part of the preparatory activities for the implementation of IPPS, we have had several user training including, training in basic computer skills, hands on training in processing payroll and training in other human resource functionalities. We have also provided a training instance which allows users to practice the use of the systems on their own.IPPS champions who will further IPPS knowledge at the pilot sites were also identified. The ministry also continues to provide both functional and technical support to ensure all IPPS users eventually acquire the required expertise.