Republic of Ghana


National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee



The National ICT4AD Consultative Pocess

Public Lecture with the Staff and Students of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS)

The National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee had a presentation with the Staff and Students of the Institute of Professional Studies on the 6th November 2002 as part of the National Consultative exercise aimed at developing an ICT-driven socio-economic development policy and plan.

A presentation was made by Prof. Clement Dzidonu, Chairman of the Committee.

List of Participants

• There is the need to develop and promote the use of ICT in the rural areas especially in schools and help produce quality Human resource.

• There is the need for the policy to concentrate on the most sensitive areas for example the educational system, human resource development, the private sector before it can go on to develop other sectors of the economy.

• The Government was urged to extend telecommunication facilities and electricity to the rural areas.

• It is important for the National ICT Committee to focus more on the legal institutions in order to reform the legal system in the economy by equipping them with computers and other logistics to help facilitate work and drive these policies efficiently.

• The educational system must place more emphasise on the study of ICT as it is being done currently with the study of Mathematics and Science. Awareness of ICT must be created through out the entire education system.

• There is the need to get all Government agencies networked for easy assess to information throughout the country. All universities and tertiary institutions must also be interconnected through ICT.

• The importance of Businesses and Commercial activities in accessing information to help forecast, budget and make the necessary projections to compete globally must also be addressed.

• In the area of Agriculture, the introduction and knowledge of ICT in the sector could help boost productivity improve the sector and create foreign exchange. There is the need to learn from countries like Malaysia, Singapore and USA.

• It is important for the Government to look critically at the cost of computers and the cost of training in ICTs to make it affordable to the average Ghanaian.

• There is the need for all Ghanaians to be aware of this new technology and embrace it as a means for the way forward and enhance socio-economic development.

• It is important for the Government to claim ownership of ICT and encourage more Ghanaians to embrace the Technology.

• There is the need for the ICT policy to be structured in all the economic structures of the country. ICT must cover all aspects of the economy for example, in the areas of Health, Agriculture, Education, and Industry etc.