Hamisu Muhammad
3 November 2008
The Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Limited, has developed a solution to check the incidence of ghost workers widespread in organizations and assist human resources managers to strengthen their staff performance. The solution is a web based clocking machine that has the capacity to help organisations manage their human resources online.
Source at the company told IT World that the solution is a multi-purpose machine designed to monitor staff attendance electronically through the use of smart cards. He said, to add to that, the machine is a client-server based system and runs different categories of software which were all developed in-house.
According to the sources, although the system has been developed by NigComSat for the management of its own workforce, there are moves to adopt the system so that it could be mass produced for use by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). Explaining how the machines work to IT World, the sources said the system runs different categories of software including server software for storing staff information and for managing the network, web application for remote viewing of daily staff attendance data. It also has search capability and client software for remote monitoring of staff attendance. He said the smart card programming software enables HR to program new cards for new staff while the device management software is the driver for most of the system hardware components. It runs in the microcontroller and is written in C programming language.
According to him, efforts are on to present the system to top government functionaries for approval at the Ministry of Science and Technology and other relevant government officials.
He said the staff management system comprises five components - clocking machine, card programming machine, a server PC, client PC and security watch cameras.
"The clocking machine is used for registering staff attendance electronically and is most suitably located at the office entrance area. On insertion of a smart card into the card slot reader by a staff, the card is first authenticated and then recorded to the system database on successful confirmation."
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