EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Increased public demands for improved service delivery led to complaints about administrative barriers and actual or perceived corruption. Initiated a project in pilot institutions aimed at:- (a) Overcoming administrative Barriers (b) Simplifying business processes (c) Building institutional capacity (d) Reducing opportunities for the occurrence of corruption (e) Promoting transparence in business operations. Pilot institutions included Zambia Revenue Authority, Ministry of Lands and Department of Immigration.
This paper is a case study on the project undertaken in the Department of Immigration. BACKGROUND Department of Immigration issues permits and visas to foreign nationals intending to undertake business or be employed in Zambia. The business community considered the length of procedures as unduly long. The physical layout of the infrastructure at headquarters also deemed corruption prone.
INTERVENTIONS Zero tolerance on corruption or its perception by initiating Integrity Committees and new core values. Streamlined and un-bureaucratic work processes. Shortening processing and approval times for permits and visas. Developing an integrated permit approval system. Computerising border management functions. INTEGRITY COMMITTEE Developing and updating a corruption prevention plan and service standards. Developing core values, code of ethics and clients charter.
Guiding the department in what is fair right and just. Disseminating information to staff and clients alike on new procedures and performance standards. Promoting integrity in transactions between the department and clients. Developing a complaints processing system and resolving cases. CORE VALUES Developed core values whose elements are loyalty, integrity, transparency, efficiency etc. Values launched at a public affirmation ceremony. Values serve as a basis on which the traveling public and investors are dealt with. Any breach of these values constitutes a crime.
BUSINESS PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING Work of Integrity Committee would be of no effect if work processes remained the same. Undertook study and mapping of work processes and developed new ways of doing business. Aimed at reducing time taken to issue permits and visas and facilitate movement. This calls for staff capacity building in order to manage new work processes. CLIENTS CHARTER A clients charter is in the process of being developed.
It will inform the Department s clients about available immigration services and standards of performance. COMPUTERISATION A Zambia Immigration Management system (ZIMS) was developed to manage permit and visa processing and approval. Also deals with border management. ZIMS provides a document trail that makes officers accountable for their actions. IMMIGRATION WEBSITE An immigration Website was launched.
Contains information relating to rules, regulations and procedures of applying for permits and visas. Clients now have an authentic information source of services offered and attendant costs. Many queries answered electronically thereby reducing physical congestion at Immigration Headquarters. Congestion viewed as a recipe for corruption. With knowledge, clients can demand for an appropriate service. CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE Modern Customer Service Centre (CSC) designed at Immigration Headquarters.
The CSC provides a transparent way of doing business by eliminating one-on-one transactions. Eliminates the perception of corruption. Builds client confidence in the Department s operations. CHALLENGES Countering staff resistance to change. Building staff confidence in the new business processes. Dealing with staff resentment to being deemed corrupt as everybody is not involved in the scourge.
Institutional capacity building must be permanently on-going. Challenge is limited resources once financial support comes to an end. An inappropriate organization structure that is not tailored to the new work processes. High expectations by the business community. CONCLUSION The Department of Immigration is in a critical stage of implementing the re-engineered work processes. The components of the CSC, core values and clients charter expected to reduce actual and perceived corruption. Picture already changing positively but full results are yet to be seen.