The debate surrounding the National Social Insurance Fund (NSIF) should not be misconstrued as opposition to the institution. Rather, it is constructive criticism intended to strengthen the Fund before workers’ contributions begin. Most beneficiaries understand the importance of retirement protection and income security.
The real question is whether the NSIF has built the systems, safeguards, and transparency mechanisms necessary to earn the confidence of those expected to finance the Fund.
Across East Africa, successful social security systems are built on one fundamental principle: contributors must be able to see, verify, and monitor their money. Trust is built through transparency and real-time access to information about social security contributions.
In Kenya, contributors can access their individual contribution statements through online self-service portals, mobile applications, and mobile phone services. Members can verify whether deductions made by employers have reached their accounts and track their contribution history directly. Kenya’s National Social Security Fund also publishes its annual reports and audited financial statements for public scrutiny.
In Uganda, National Social Security Fund contributors can register online, monitor their savings, obtain electronic statements, track their employment history, and access retirement projections through digital platforms. The system has invested heavily in member-facing technology that enables contributors to monitor their savings and hold employers accountable for remittances.
The question, therefore, is whether the NSIF currently provides comparable tools and safeguards. Can a worker in remote areas with limited internet connectivity, such as Pibor, Abyei, Pariang, Bor, or Yei, log into a secure portal and instantly see every contribution made in his or her name? Can contributors receive SMS notifications each time an employer remits social security contributions?
Can workers obtain real-time account statements without having to visit an NSIF office? Can contributors independently verify that deductions shown on their pay slips have actually reached their individual accounts? Can the public access audited financial statements, investment reports, governance records, and performance reports?
These are not luxury features. They are the foundation of public trust in the NSIF.
Before mandatory remittances begin, the NSIF should establish minimum standards of transparency and accountability. Every contributor should have a unique membership number, and every contribution should generate a digital record. Every worker should have access to an online portal, a mobile application, SMS verification services, and regular account statements. Independent audits should be published annually, while quarterly performance reports should be made available to contributors.
Most importantly, contributors must know who manages their money, where it is invested, how risks are managed, and what safeguards exist against misuse. The approval of internal operational and management policies by the NSIF Board is a positive step. If properly implemented and enforced, these due diligence policies should help minimize the risk of misuse and strengthen institutional accountability.
The success of the NSIF will not be measured by the amount of money it collects. It will be measured by the confidence of the people contributing that money. A wise farmer does not store his harvest in a newly built granary simply because he is told it is safe. He inspects the walls, tests the doors, and examines the security before entrusting it with his harvest. Workers deserve the same level of assurance before their hard-earned income is entrusted to the Fund.
Before employers remit a single South Sudanese pound on behalf of their employees, the NSIF must demonstrate that the systems, technology, governance structures, and accountability mechanisms needed to protect contributors are already in place. Social insurance is built on trust, and trust begins with transparency and accountability.
These views are offered in good faith to identify operational gaps, encourage best practices, and support reforms that will strengthen public confidence. My intention is to help the NSIF build a social insurance system that beneficiaries can trust and a governance structure that commands credibility.
The writer, Dr. Thon Agok Adier, is a humanitarian worker, senior medical doctor, and reproductive health consultant with 19 years of experience across South Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya. He currently serves as the Country Director of LiveWell South Sudan.
The views expressed in ‘opinion’ articles published by Radio Tamazuj are solely those of the writer. The veracity of any claims made is the responsibility of the author, not Radio Tamazuj.
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