How to Successfully increase the Usage and availability of ICTs-Localizing Services and creating Opportunities

Transcription

1 How to Successfully increase the Usage and availability of ICTs-Localizing Services and creating Opportunities Presented by: Kofi Attor Administrator/CEO Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications CTO Conference, Abuja Nigeria 7 th October, 2013.

2 GHANA AT GLANCE INTERNET DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA BRIEF OVERVIEW OF GIFEC WSIS TARGETS GIFEC PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IN RELATION TO MEETING THE WSIS/ITU TARGETS STRATEGIES CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT/LOCAL CONTENT/PARNERSHIPS ACHIEVEMENTS CHALLENGES WAY FORWARD

3 Has a population of 24 million The country spans an area of 238,500 km 2 (92,085 sq. mi). Water covers 3.5% of the area Population density of 99.9/km 2 (258.8sq.mi) Capital and Largest City is Accra Home to the largest artificial lake in the world-lake Volta

4 Ghana at Glance First Sub Saharan African to gain independence in 1957 English is the official language though there more than 46 local dialects Cocoa, timber, gold, diamond, bauxite and manganese are major sources of foreign exchange Production of oil in commercial quantities took off in last quarter of 2010 Has a GDP per capita (PPP) of $1,500

5 Internet access commenced in Ghana in the early nineties Generally, access to homes and individuals is very limited. Most Ghanaians have access to the internet at work or through public internet cafes. A Household Digital Divide Study conducted by GIFEC this year indicated Household penetration is 14.2% Internet World Statistics ranks Ghana s Internet penetration 10 th in Africa behind countries such as Nigeria, Senegal, and Gambia in West Africa.

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7 The Fund was launched in November, However, operations of the fund started in January The Electronic Communications Act, 2008, Act 775 provides the legal framework (mandate) for the activities of the Fund. The mission of the Fund is to provide financial resources for the establishment of universal service and access for all communities and; facilitate the provision of access to basic telephony, internet service, multimedia, broadband and broadcasting services by these communities.

8 Contributions from operators and service providers Monies provided by parliament Monies that may accrue to the fund from investment made by the trustees of the fund Donations, grants and gifts, and any other monies that may become lawfully payable to the fund

9 The fund is managed by a board of trustees which provides the strategic direction and management of the fund. There are two sub-committees of the Board, The Technical and Finance /Administration tasked with supervisory functions relating to Technical and Finance and Administration respectively. The board by statute is chaired by the Minister of Communications.

10 Other members of the Board include representatives of the following: 1.National Communications Authority (NCA 2.Ministry of Communications. 3.One representative each from all licensed operators 4.Chairman, Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications 5.The administrator of the fund who also is the Chief Executive of the secretariat.

11 1. To connect all villages with ICTs and establish community access points 2. To connect universities, colleges, secondary schools and primary schools with ICTs 3. To connect scientific and research centres with ICTs 4. To connect public libraries, cultural centres, Museums, post offices and national archives with ICTs 5. To connect health centres and hospitals with ICTs

12 7. To connect all local and central government departments and establish websites and addresses 8. To adapt all primary and secondary school curricula to meet challenges of the information society, taking into account national circumstances 9. To ensure that all of the world s population have access to television and radio services 10. To encourage the development of content and put in place technical conditions in order to facilitate the presence and use of all world languages on the internet

13 Programme Constituents Projects 1. Cyber laboratory Community Information Centre (CIC) Library Connectivity Post Office Connectivity, Community Initiated Projects, etc 2. Rural Telephony and Internet Access School Connectivity(SCP) Common Telecom Facility(CTF) Rural Telephony Rural Payphone, etc. 3. ICT for Livelihood E-fishing (ICT for sustainable Fishing) Last Mile Initiative Disability Employment,

14 4. Programme ICT Support to Government Institutions Constituents Projects Ghana News Agency Meteorological Authority NADMO, etc. Security Agencies (Prison,Police, Military, NADMO etc) 5. Broadcasting Radio TV, etc. 6. Capacity Building Initiatives and Public Education of ICT & related issues, etc. Training for CIC Managers, etc.

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18 Capacity Building Local Content Development Forging partnerships with local authorities, NGOs etc to provide ICT services ICT Infrastructural Development

19 GIFEC notes that there is a direct relationship between having ICT skills and usage. It is therefore sponsoring the training of teachers, local government workers, artisans etc to acquire basic skills in ICT. Currently, there is an ongoing project that is training about 5000 people in ICT literacy skills

20 ICT FOR EDUCATION GIFEC has supported a local developer to develop an Examinations Review and Training software deployed on computers supplied to Senior High Schools and Junior High schools under its SCP. To improve science education particularly for girls, GIFEC has developed an e-science software for use by students Developed a School Management Software for Training colleges, Vocational Institutes etc to facilitate e- administration of schools

21 SECURITY CONNECTIVITY Supported the development of a Criminal Information System for the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Prisons service to improve security in the country GIFEC in partnership with a local software developer is establishing a one point emergency access call centre to facilitate easy access to the police, ambulance and other emergency services. To enhance disaster management activities, GIFEC has supported the National Disaster Management Organisation with phones, computers and internet connection at very remote communites

22 ICT FOR HEALTH To reduce maternal mortality among women, GIFEC has supported the GRAMEEN FOUNDATION and the Ghana Health Service with mobile phones that have been distributed to pregnant women in rural communities. Text messages designed in the various local languages are sent to these women to alert them to go for antenatal services on schedule. DIGITAL INCLUSION To provide access to ICTs to the blind, GIFEC has provided specialised computers and softwares with internet connectivity to enable them benefit from ICT.

23 GIFEC is creating opportunities for entrepreneurship development in ICT. Specific projects include the following: Partnering the Disability Council to create livelihood opportunities for the disabled through the provision of kiosks stock with ICT products for sale to the general public Partnering a local NGO, KITE to support entrepreneurs with mini ICT centres that offer full range services to the public.

24 Security ICT Support Projects MILITARY OFFICERS IN GIFEC SPONSORED-ICT TRAINING INMATES IN AN ICT CLASS IN A GHANAIAN PRISON

25 Fishermen using the Fish-Finder at Sea GIFEC CTF at Welembelle

26 Students using the Rural Payphones

27 The objective of the Rural Telephony Project is to support telecommunication operators to extend their services into locations of less commercial viability. 30 Rural telephony have been constructed in deprived communities without communication facilities in the country. A total number of 90,000 people in the beneficiary communities can now communicate and do business with people in and around other communities.

28 School Connectivity Project 703 schools Community Information Centers- 93 centers Common telecommunication Facility/Rural Telephony 70 sites ICT capacity building personnel trained Rural Pay phone 3000 installed Easy Business- 20 centers Library Connectivity Project 40 libraries and 10 mobile libraries Post office Connectivity project- 5 post offices All these sites are equipped with at least 15 computes, ups, printer, projector, scanner and 2 air conditions

29 Disability Project 10 trading booths deployed, 2 school for the blind fully equiped and blind units in 7 SHS supported Security Connectivity Project 16 prisons, 34 police stations, 170 NADMO offices, 30 Military units and schools, 8 Fire stations and 100 BNI offices E-learning Project 3 research institutes and School of surgery equipped. ICT for sustainable fishing 18 landing sites supported Laptops distributed to Schools

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31 1. High cost of internet bandwidth makes internet access a luxury 2. Poor Quality of Service(QoS) from mobile operators 3. Limited funding

32 Develop more interventions that will improve the gender access to ICT ratio Encourage the international agencies and donors to support GIFEC with funding to enable it undertake more Universal Access programmes for the unserved and underserved communities.

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