Govt firewalls Ifmis

The Ministry of Finance has said it has put in place controls to the
Integrated Financial Management Information System (Ifmis), including
access and security, user rights and contract management.

Ifmis, a government electronic payment system whose loopholes have
been blamed for the Capital Hill Cashgate was suspended in September
and according to the ministry was gradually reactivated with effect
from November 4 this year.

Due to the scandal, Malawi’s major donors have so far frozen aid
disbursements for October through December, a situation which experts
and government have said puts Malawi’s economic performance in serious
jeopardy.

However, in a press statement issued this week, the Ministry of
Finance has said the government has installed a stronger firewall
which will prevent illegal access to the system while use of Ifmis
computers in ministries will have to be authorised by controlling
officers.

The statement further says there will be no full access to the system
by any user in which an officer will be given to one functionality of
a payment transaction.

The Ministry of Finance adds that expenditure reports will be printed
from Ifmis for each ministry while proper and up todate records for
manual processes around Ifmis will be kept by ministries.

In the press statement, government commits to keep with developments
in the information and communication technology world by exploring new
ways of making Ifmis more secure.