During the eight months pilot level implementation, Ethiopia’s pioneer e-payment platform called Derash, is winning the heart of billers and clients for its multiple benefits according to its developer, Information Network Security Agency (INSA). Many cash collecting institutions in Ethiopia still depend on manual system and require their clients to physically present to pay bills.
This has caused many inconveniences on both sides, as people have to go all the way to the office of service providers, in most cases wait for a long queue to pay their bills for utilities, tax and other services. Sometimes also, they cannot get service efficiently due to slow internet connection, electric power interruption or other reasons in service delivery.
“The platform will serve as a bridge between Service providers and clients on the due collection of utility bills as well as government’s receivable payments,” says Yonatan Ayalew, director of INSA’s Integrated Platform Division. Yonatan also asserted that the new national e-payment platform is a pioneer in digitalizing the nation’s payment system and expected to ease doing business as well as accelerating economic growth in Ethiopia.
Similarly, he said that currently clients could manage their bills on the go, mobile USSD or using core banking at the nearest windows of any of the local banks in Ethiopia. Likewise, service providers in Ethiopia are now designated to collect their payments with secure data, less time and fair running cost -just using Derash. Biruk Gebreyess, the Platform Manager at the Agency told The Ethiopian Herald that the plat form is vital for both the government and the clients in accelerating utility payment system at national level for two basic reasons.
First, the system is as such simple to be implemented by each individual and organization because it does not need tiresome process and to be technology expert on its implementation. Second it is acceptable payment system which is absolutely hand free and technology based in all 17 Banks with their branches and any financial institutions. Accordingly, it will avoid mistakes that will be seen on the manual payment system. Biruk also commented that some public organizations have started implementing the plat form in hands with INSA. By this the Ethiopian Ministry of Customs Harar regional state Water and Sewerage Authority and other federal and regional institutions are applying the payment system. More than 90% was achieved during the pilot service. For instance Ministry of Customs has collected 25% of its unpaid tax using the platform. In addition he also asserted as it is a nonprofit system the door is open for each public enterprises to join it with balanced price for the service. Mekonen Abera, Senior Business Analyst at the Agency told The Ethiopian Herald that Derash is an integrated bill payment system that can be readily accessible for customers’ through a network of agents, enabling multiple payment modes, and providing instant confirmation of payment.
Derash is designed based on open architecture and standards that can seamlessly integrate with any Biller and/or Agent. Hence, it is helpful to avoid the traffic congestion during the last day’s bill payment through the vast network of Agents. He also noted that customers would not make any mistake of paying their bills multiple times since the system is always online and centralized.
It promotes innovative way of mode of payment that will pave the path for better way of service delivery, mobile pay, internet banking, ATM that allows customers to pay their bills anytime and anywhere he added. On the other hand some ICT experts argued that developing such new platform is nothing but prior tasks must be done on the society before launching of a new platform which is creating awareness in depth.
Our society has not open mind to accept and adopt new technologies easily so that there should be continues ICT training and capacity building campaigns across the country they stressed. Similarly they also contended that there should be strong follow up and support by the government on the implementation of any ICT platforms including “Derash” in spite of the fact they have vital role in accelerating national bill payment system.
Derash, the new integrated platform helps me to save my time in paying my duty for the state easily through my mobile and any of commercial banks says Ato Hamza Mustefa import exporter at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As to him such technologies are essential for the country to collect its tax-bill from citizens easily. Yet, he avowed that there should be deep awareness creation campaigns especially for tax payers.
There are many business people around Merkato with a very expensive smart phones, but they use it only for contact list. If the government invest on training them about the issue, both the government and business people will be benefited he added. During its pilot service program Derash has helped the Ethiopian Ministry of Customs to collect a total tax of 5 Billion ETB using e-tax system Yonatan noted.
The Ethiopian Herald April 6/2019
BY HIZKEL HAILU
