IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Communications and Transport deputy minister Col. Panji Kaunda said at the launch of the National Council for Construction website that technology has simplified the way companies do business.

Kaunda said contractors will now be able to register their companies and renew their certificates through the website as opposed to physically going to the National Council for Construction offices for registration.

EM: Analysts say your ministry tops all in terms of performance, what makes you tick?

NC: Not so sure about that but thank you for being kind and generous. Proverbs 3v5 says, in everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Excellence is second nature to us. We are enemies to mediocrity. The government works as a team. In the ministry, excellence is standard conversation and common practice.

Launching the government’s e-learning programme at a newly-built school in Matabeleland North, Mugabe pledged his government’s commitment to put computer technology at the heart of the school curriculum.

Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa said the plan would be formally presented to principals of the country's main political parties -- President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara before it is unveiled to the public.

"The plan has been approved by Cabinet and will run from now to 2015. It is either going to be launched at the end of this month or February when the principals are back," said Minister Chamisa.

According to the Ministry of ICT’s strategic plan 2010 to 2014, the Government has a target to increase national tele-density by 10 percent on an annual basis during the period.

However, indications from statistics released in October by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe reveal that Zimbabwe’s tele-density rate stood at around 54 percent up from 37 percent recorded earlier in the year.

ICT Minister, Nelson Chamisa, commented that the approved plan would be formally presented to the country’s main political parties figures President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara before being unveiled to the public.

Permanent secretary Sam Kundishora revealed that a review of the National ICT policy, launched in 2007, is planned. At a recent ICT symposium convened in Harare by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) with the theme of embracing ICT for business growth, Kundishora said some of the initiatives being carried out by the ministry include upgrading the ICT literary rate to match the country’s literacy rate above 90 percent with a series of training, awareness programmes and road shows.

There are also plans to promote competency in use of ICT tools and to familiarise the community with relevant technology.

Dr Phiri said in an interview that the power of ICT had the potential to benefit learners but could also work to destroy the morals of the technology users.

He regretted that there were no clear guidelines on the use of technology in schools as it was the emerging field posing a huge challenge to end users.

Mr Shamenda said the introduction of ICTs in schools is a sign that the world is evolving and therefore the need for children to be exposed to new technologies.

“The world is now highly dependent on technology, so it is important that children are introduced to these things at an early stage,” he said.

He said this while officiating at the opening of the E-Tech Africa 2014 Exhibition and National ICT Finalisation Workshop yesterday.

Mr Ngoma noted that despite a lot of advancement that had been made in the area of ICT, there were a lot of challenges which should be addressed.

GOVERNMENT has urged the public and private sectors to effectively embrace the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) to stimulate economic development, Minister of Transport and Communication Brian Mushimba has said.

Mr Mushimba said embracing ICTs is in line with President Lungu’s vision of making the country smart by promoting innovation in the provision of products and services.

Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Permanent Secretary Bernard Chiwala said at a Computer Society of Zambia stakeholders’ meeting in Kitwe that the body would function under an Act of Parliament.

He said this in a speech read for him by Zambia Information Communications Technology Authority information technology manager Garry Mukelabai.

Minister of Communications and Transport Geoffrey Lungwangwa said the introduction of fibre optics in Zambia is one measure that is aimed at easing the use of ICTs.

He was speaking at the Fibre Optics Association (FOA) seminar held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Friday.

ICTs have the potential to empower communities and in the context of achieving wholesome connectivity or universal access increase local participation in the development process. New and creative enterprises can make rural areas more profitable, affordable and sustainable and served in a way to meet national development objectives.

It has become an essential condition for countries and regions to meaningfully integrate into the global economy and reap the benefits from it.

As a result of globalisation, activities and transactions are increasingly being conducted using the internet.

ICT applications, like e-Government, e-Commerce, e-Education, e-Health and e-Environment, are seen as enablers for development, because they provide an efficient channel to deliver a wide range of basic services even to remote and rural areas.

As technology permeates the corridors of schools, there is need to know better who is at risk with ICT, what prevention and how treatment strategies work best.

Technology application in schools -in all its rigid sense- has been at the same work for ages considering that every learner is the maker of his or her future.

Dr Mwansa is head of information technnology infrastructure at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the world's 18th largest stock exchange..

Dr Mwansa underscores that e-government solutions, automation of the processing and notification can mitigate the long queues of people at different government offices such as the Passport Office, Road Transport and Safety Agency, government hospitals and clinics.

Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Christopher Yaluma said in Lusaka yesterday that Government and the private sector should raise ICT awareness to facilitate improved road safety and ensure safer vehicles on the roads.

Mr Yaluma said this during commemoration of the World Telecommunication Information Society Day.

Government sees information, communication and technology (ICT) as a key enabler for economic development towards the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda.

This comes as government seeks to target 33% of Zimbabwe’s population living in urban environments through ICTs in growing urban infrastructure.

ICT minister Supa Mandiwanzira told stakeholders at the 6th edition of the Zimbabwe ICT Achievers Awards 2015 that the sector was a key enabler for development.