The Agency will seek to integrate all governmental functions through information and communication sharing via what is now called electronic governance (e-governance), thus eliminating unnecessary use of resources in certain governmental errands.
Most countries, particularly developing ones are now using the e-governance system through an ICT Agency that profoundly integrates the whole governmental system, making governance cost-effective in implementing strategies.
Officials indicated that since the adaptation of the e-governance implementation strategy in The Gambia, institutions have been implementing the ICT needs from infrastructure and network to services.
Thursday's validation came after a study tour to Rwanda and Ghana in 2012 by an e-governance technical team during which recommendations were made for the establishment of an ICT Agency.
In his remarks, the permanent secretary, MOICI, Lamin Camara, said e-governance will help avert duplication of resources and efforts and better position the development for better course. He acknowledged that as government, they have distinct departments, agencies and Ministries, yet they are all bound by a common objective.
"What we are looking at is that we can have this system here in Greater Banjul, but you can be in Basse and access the same service and do whatever you want to do in the same service," he said.
Camara said the ICT Agency will help enhance government's economic activities, arguing that not only is integration more cost-effective, but that it also has the potential to improve the economy.
He used the opportunity to highlight the success of the Ministry's collaboration with the University of The Gambia in the establishment of School of E-learning, which he said, is now graduating people with Master's Degrees. He equally cited the Tele-medic Centre stationed at the Serrekunda Hospital as another giant step in the ICT development.
The PS averred that MOICI has been working to enhance the use of ICT for economic development as well as improve the public service delivery system. "ICT is giving others the opportunity they couldn't get and this very one will also give more people the opportunity to enhance, utilise and develop themselves to be more productive," he said.
The director general of Gambia Submarine Cable (GSC) and the consultant of the programme, Lamin Jabbi, said e-governance makes governments very vibrant and efficient in term of production, while on the other hand, maximise the use of resources.
The ICT Agency, he said, has made certain countries particularly Rwanda efficient, pointing out that it's one of the countries that The Gambia should emulate. He recalled that at some point in the year 2002, The Gambia was marked as a country that had made gains in ICT, but hastened to stress that the gains must be consolidated.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Bekai Njie & Oumie Jobe
Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 02.12.2014
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