EFFECT OF SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTION AND QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY ON ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF BENEFICIARIES IN RWANDA

The study examined the Effect of Social Security Contribution and Quality Service Delivery on Economic Conditions of Beneficiaries in Rwanda Social Security .Board (RSSB) in Ruhango Branch. A total number of 256 respondents from beneficiaries of Rwanda Social Security Board in Ruhango Branch participated in the study. The objectives of the study were (a) to examine beneficiaries' attitude toward social security and services delivery in Ruhango Branch, (b) to assess the economic conditions of social security beneficiaries in Ruhango Branch, and (c) to examine the quality of social security services delivery in Ruhango Branch, and (d) to establish the correlation among the social security contribution, quality service delivery and economic activities of social security beneficiaries in Ruhango Branch. The study findings showed that the provision of social security is acknowledged by many Rwandans. During the study, only 41.4% of respondents displayed a positive attitude toward social security, while 67.2% of respondents reported that the government has relaxed and flexible requirements for retirement pensions in Rwanda, while 71.6% of respondents reported that they appreciate the provision of social security services, and they have been helpful to them personally. Still, 67.2% of respondents admitted that retirement pensions are important to economic growth, development and welfare of a country, and 66.3% of respondents reported that social security services are helping beneficiaries either in the crisis of unemployment or in the period of retirement. Regarding the quality of social security service delivery, 56.9% of respondents reported that social security services are performed with fairness, and 65.5% of respondents reported that workers in RSSB in Ruhango Branch are respectful, time conscious, and considerate of beneficiaries' needs. According to findings, there is a good rapport between social security service providers and customer beneficiaries. As for the effect of social security and service delivery on beneficiaries' economic conditions, 44.2% of respondents reported that the pension money helped them to run or sustain economic business activity, while 44.2% of respondents said that the pension they received after their retirement was enough to help their children develop economically. Multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relationship among variables. The strongest predictor in the model was (quality service delivery; t =2.634, sig. =.009), but social security contribution was the weakest predictor of variance in dependent variable. The high beta weight (.239) for quality service delivery score also showed it was the strongest predictor. Social security contribution, in contrast, was not a good indicator of a change (or effect) in beneficiaries' economic conditions, as in particular of regression model the beta weight for the Social Security Contribution score was less than low (-.014), as is its t value (-.159) with a level of significance (sig.=.874). That is, other factors also account for the economic and financial growth of social security beneficiaries in Ruhango Branch. Finally, the study made practical recommendations to the key stakeholders of social security policy in Rwanda. A suggestion for a further research study on factors affecting economic and financial growth of beneficiaries of National Social Security in Rwanda was as well made in the study.