Ghana ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee

The National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee had a public forum at the University of Cape Coast on Wednesday 26th of March 2003 as part of the National Consultative exercise aimed at developing an ICT-driven socio-economic development policy and plan.
Prof. Clement Dzidonu, Chairman of the National ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee, made a presentation

It is important to address policy issues relating to Human Resource and Manpower Development. More emphasis must be placed on the products of the Training Colleges to ensure that they are ICT literate to be able to impart the knowledge to pupils in the basic schools.

There is the need to promote research and development for the growth and sustainability of the nation. ICT infrastructure must also be put in place.

The cost of ICT in education must be made affordable to all. It is necessary for ICT to be introduced in the educational curriculum from the basic school level to the tertiary level.

Government should support and modernize the Agricultural sector by deploying ICT infrastructural facilities to the sector to increase export revenue base for the development of the economy.

There is the need for the policy to be consistent in this political era; the policy must be insulated from Politics and made statutory to avoid change.

The Government must address the issue of poor school infrastructure and subsidise the cost of education to minimize the number of school dropouts.

The Government must initiate a policy whereby anyone who graduates from the University is computer literate; computer studies must be made compulsory in whatever field of study at the tertiary level.
The Government must address the issue Quality of Service Standard (QoS). The various Internet Service Providers and the Telecommunication providers must be made to follow laid down policy guidelines to improve their sector and the ICT sector as a whole.
There is the need to develop a common database for all educational institutions to promote the sharing of information across board; this would also aid research and development in the educational set-up.
Provision of ICT infrastructure must be deployed nationwide to facilitate ICT development in all the Regions, Districts and Communities.
There is the need to address issues relating to the Legal, Regulatory and Institutional provisions to facilitate the development of ICTs in the country.
Attitudinal changes are necessary for the development of the nation
The awareness of ICT must cut across board to every sector and corner of the country. There is the need to increase awareness of the developmental uses of ICT for the growth of the economy.
There is the need for the Government to show high-level commitment in the implementation of the policy and plan.
It is important that the Government develops a strategic plan to increase the country’s Human Resource base; the high illiteracy rate must be tackled to ensure sustainable human resource for the country.
There is the need for specific policy instruments to strengthen and facilitate the development of the Private Sector to generate more employment for the growth of the economy.
It is important to develop a critical mass of human resource to use and develop ICT software’s.
There is the need to deploy ICTs for the improvement of the Health services.
Focus must also be placed on the disabled and the disadvantaged in the society, the policy must consider how these people would benefit from ICT and how their know-how could be tapped for the development of the nation.
ICT pilot programs must be developed in every district to serve the rest of the community.
The policy must take into account the deployment of ICTs within the Ports and Harbours to help facilitate the movement of goods and services to increase the country’s export revenue.