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PPF MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE
PARASTATAL PENSIONS FUND
Tanzania

The Problem

The initiative is known as “PPF MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE” which was started in 1991. Prior to this initiative, members of the scheme felt they didn’t have a say in the running of their Fund and there was no transparency. Therefore, having the member conferences (which involves all stake holders) have assisted the Fund to have a good rapport with its stakeholders in the sense that transparency and accountability has prevailed. The members have built trust and feel that sense of ownership towards the Fund and above all it has enabled the Fund to understand the needs of its members and come up with customized solutions.

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
The Parastatal Pensions Fund (PPF) organizes stakeholders’ conference once in every year. The meetings are usually used by stakeholders to discuss various issues related to PPF and those geared towards social security development as well as HIV/AIDS scourge.
The conferences have been held yearly since 1991 and the current one was held from 19th to 22nd October 2011. The main theme for this year’s conference was “Tanzania at 50; The role of social security in economic development”.
The conference normally attracts around 500 participants per year who can be categorized in the following manner; members, employers, trade union representatives, government officials and foreign participants from other social security institutions and social security experts from ILO, ISSA etc.
The participants get the opportunity to discuss various topical issues that are presented and most importantly the operations and financial performance of the Fund.
Due to this arrangement, several key steps have been achieved by the Fund e.g. the introduction of education benefits to deceased member’s children, improvements of customer service were by the Fund has ensured that members get their membership information instantly either through the Fund website, mobile phones, customer relationship management system. Although Tanzania has a number of social security institutions, PPF has benefited more by having these conferences in terms of offering quality customer care services and this can be noted as it was the 1st to launch the customer care charter during this year’s 21st member conference.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
The solution/ initiative was proposed by the Fund as a way to get and work closer with its stake holders taking into consideration the situation before the initiative. Normally, the Fund is responsible in the preparation of the meeting, but during the meeting, chair persons are selected per session from the audience, experts on different aspects are invited to deliver papers and thereafter members are allowed to discuss and at the end pass resolutions for implementation. The feedback on the resolutions is normally given during the next meeting.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The conferences have been held annually since 1991 and it is conducted for four days, where by the 1st three days are used to deliberate the agreed agendas. The last day is used as a get together day where by members do corporate social responsibilities, exaction, sports, etc.

The strategies used are as follows;

I. The Fund forms a preparatory committee seven months prior to the conference.
II. Stake holders are notified of the meeting at least two months to the date of the meeting for registration processes.
III. The cost of conference materials including refreshment during the conference is met by the Fund.
IV. There is no participation fee.
V. During the conference, every evening delegates are invited to cocktail parties organised by different sponsors.
VI. Inviting international counterparts in social security sector and other international organizations such as ILO, ISSA etc.
VII. Introduction of topical issues that are relevant and current.

The main objectives of the conference are as follows;

I. To give feedback on the Fund operations to the stakeholders,
II. To allow the stake holders to have a say on the running of the Fund,
III. To allow the Fund to get feedback on its operations from the stakeholders,
IV. To educate members on social security issues, economical issues, give members an experience of other countries practices and developmental issues in general.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
The key development and implementation steps followed to achieve the objectives are by having the main preparatory committee within the Fund, introducing themes and topical issues for discussion that are relevant to our case. In addition to that, bringing in experts and foreign participants for a wider perspective in discussing the issues at hand and coming up with agreed and tenable solutions. Not only that, before starting the conference a team is formed to record and submit the resolutions at the end, these resolutions are worked up on and feedback/ progress is given during the next conference.

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
The main obstacle is when stake holders come up with resolutions that involve legal issues, other higher decision making organs such as the Parliament to amend the law. This can be an obstacle due to time taken to effect the resolution. There are also instances where the resolutions passed by the stakeholders need actuarial valuations which sometimes are also delayed or come with a negative response.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
The key benefits of the initiative are as follows;

I. To build a good working relationship between the Fund and its stakeholders,
II. To build confidence and trust to the Fund from the stakeholders,
III. Improved operational efficiency by the Fund,
IV. One of the ways to implement cooperate good governance.

The financial, technical and human resources costs associated with this initiative are approximated to be between USD 150,000.00 and 200,000.00 annually.

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
The initiative has been run consecutively for the past 21 years, and the key issue is that the Fund and its members are partners and it is of at most importance that there is a common bond that is built to ensure those members’ interests are safe guarded and well served. It is transferable as Previously only PPF used to have these conferences in Tanzania, but already this year other social security institutions have also conducted theirs e.g. National Social Security Fund in February 2011 and Government Employees Provident Fund in May 2011. This is an indication that it is a good thing and members feel valued when they have a say in their future and if we need to give our members quality service this is the way to go.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
The initiative has had a tremendous impact both on the Fund’s point of view and the stake holders. Apart from building confidence and trust to the Fund from the stakeholders, it has tremendously improved operational efficiency by the Fund.
The initiative has lead to a major impact and some of the outcomes are indicated below;

I. The introduction of new benefits such as education benefits,
II. The Fund’s inclination to quality customer service e.g. automation of all the Fund activities, having in place the customer care policy and the soon to be launched customer care charter.
III. The Fund has been commissioned to pay pension to Government employees. This is as a result of its ability and experience in pension services and offerings.
IV. The Fund early this year was awarded as the leading promoter of good governance in the region by the East and Central Social Security Association (ECASSA). This was mostly due to its commitment shown in handling the annual conference.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   PARASTATAL PENSIONS FUND
Institution Type:   Public Organization  
Contact Person:   ROBERT MTENDAMEMA
Title:   DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS  
Telephone/ Fax:   +255 22 2113919-21
Institution's / Project's Website:   www.ppftz.org
E-mail:   mmagawa@ppftz.org  
Address:   P.O.BOX 72473
Postal Code:   255
City:   DAR ES SALAAM
State/Province:  
Country:   Tanzania

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