Harb said that the reform steps that will be adopted will target saving the NSSF so it keeps serving citizens as the main public social institution. “NSSF is here to stay,” he said.

Harb said that the Ministry has adopted a comprehensive and integrated national reform strategy that mainly includes:

- Fighting Corruption, which is the main gateway to reforming the NSSF, according to Harb. “People should stop violating legal provisions to avoid paying their obligations or encouraging bribe while institutions should stop resorting to fraud by inflating the size of their bills,” Harb said.

- Legal reform, which will start by modernizing and developing the current Social Security Act which was released in 1963 “and is no longer appropriate in ensuring the proper functioning of the Fund, whether in terms of its management or technical sides," he said.

- Administrative Reform, which includes modernizing the NSSF’s infrastructure by adopting new electronic mechanisms which will impact positively on the productivity of workers, and will facilitate their work.  The step also includes the decentralization of security services to members.

- Preserving the optional security alternative for self-employed citizens. “We will work on expanding this service and adjust the amount of contributions payments from beneficiaries,” Harb said.

- Re-launching discussions on the draft on the retirement system and social protection law which will eventually lead to adopting it, he said.

The deficit-plagued Fund benefits more than a half million citizen.