Program for the Strengthening of Central Governance Structures (PRSCG)

The overall objective of the project is to improve the efficiency and transparency of public administration and in particular public financial management. The specific objective is to create a high-performance, secure, national government IT network used for the deployment of new web-based computing applications.

New software is planned to be accessible for all public administrations, for example to enable them to manage their expenditures and to award their public procurement contracts according to the new finance law in line with the WAEMU 2009 guidelines. Public accountants in municipalities and departments will also have to access the new systems in order to manage their accounts.

The Ministry of Finance will initially be the main user of the computer network established within the framework of the project in order to deploy its public finance applications. However, the measures will be conceived from the beginning for a joint use of the Beninese administration.

The project focuses on three main components: the creation of a national IT administration network, the deployment of services and the development and implementation of a network operating and maintenance system. These components were identified in a feasibility study conducted in 2015.

       Component 1: Creation of a national computer administration network

i) Creation of a metropolitan network in Cotonou, comprising a data center to host the core national network and to provide applications to all Ministries. This data center of approximately 200m² will be gradually configured with the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Privatization (MEFPD) data center to ensure maximum security. Building of the data center is financed by the national counterpart for the PRSCG and is expected to be finalized nine months after signature of the Financing Contract. A fiber optic network will link approximately 50 administration sites in Cotonou and 40 other sites will be connected by Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) wireless technology. All connections are duplicated and secure.

ii) Interconnection of the decentralized sites of administration which deal with public finances and local finances including the Prefectures, the “Recettes des Finances” and the “Recettes Perceptions” (external network of services of the Treasury and Accounting Department). Network technologies used include: fiber optic links leased to Benin Telecom (or other telecom operators) for secondary nodes outside Cotonou, WIMAX links for sites near secondary nodes (less than 25 km), conventional wireless links (Wireless-Local-Loop) for more distant sites, and finally, for the most remote sites, wireless links to the GSM network of the telecommunication operators from which the bandwidth will be leased to submit the data. The interconnected sites will be secured in terms of electricity and IT.

       Component 2: Deployment of services to enhance the computer network

i) The National Department of Public Procurement Control (DNCMP) will be supported in the progressive and systematic use of the Integrated Procurement Management System (SIGMAP) software for all administrations located in Cotonou, prefectures and municipalities. To this end, training on SIGMAP for users, support for maintenance of the software as well as the equipment for the new departments, especially computer hardware, is financed by the Project.

ii) IP telecommunication makes it possible to make a non-subscription call between the sites connected to the national network, thus offering significant financial savings for the administration. The project will finance the deployment of telephones in selected sites which will provide a concrete measure to foster interest in the computer network and enable immediate use.

iii) The creation of a government intranet site to share information between administrations. The Government Intranet portal will disseminate information to government agencies such as organizational charts of Ministries, contacts, regulatory texts, templates of documents, etc.

       Component 3: Development and implementation of a system for the operation and maintenance of the national computer network complying with international standards. Operation and maintenance procedures will be implemented and tested for at least one year. ABETIC will be strengthened to fully play its role as network maintenance operator and to drive change.