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Ghana pursue e-Ghana projects [Ghana News Agency](Ghana News Agency Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Accra, May 16, GNA - Ghana is pursuing various Information Communication and Technology (ICT) initiatives dubbed e-Ghana Project under a US$97million e-Transform Project with the World Bank as a catalyst to augment the pace of Ghanas transformation into a fully-fledged middle income country. The e-Ghana Projects have three components; e-Health Project; E-Education Project and e-Justice System. The e-Health Project, is being deployed at three sites; Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Wa Government Hospital and Zebilla District Hospital, to transform the hospitals and medical facilities to utilize ICTs as much as possible. The E-Education project is to ensure that students in unserved and underserved communities are connected to quality education and the e-Justice System aims at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of justice delivery. Speaking at the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day in Accra on Friday, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications said the Oil and Gas industry, transportation system, commerce, manufacturing, learning and playing must all be ICT driven. He said the theme for this years Day, Broadband for Sustainable Development is very timely and opportune, considering the wonders the internet is performing since its invention in 1981 by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn. The Minister noted: Governance, Politics, Religion and indeed our way of life must be ICT enabled. This is the only way that we can translate the huge investments that Government and the private sector have injected into the sector into significant multipliers for our socioeconomic advancement. He said the Ministry has initiated a process to complement the efforts of the Judicial Service as a way of integrating ICT, video and mobile technologies for improving the productivity and efficiency of court case dispositions. In collaboration with the Ghana Immigration Service, government is instituting a network to manage Ghanas entry system in a cost-effective way through the use of cutting edge technology, as well as deliver a level of service consistent with the expectation of today's travelers. The Communications Minister said Ghanas Legislative Assembly would soon implement the e-Parliamentary System, making a high-tech shift in the way business is conducted. Under the e-Parliament System, Members of Parliament will be able to file their queries online, leading to speedy and paperless flow of information, he said. Mr Mawuko Zomerlo, Deputy Director, Consumer and Corporate Affairs, National Communication Authority (NCA) said the World Telecommunication Day was established out of the global need to raise awareness of changes in society that have been engendered by the internet and new technologies as well as to work towards bridging the global digital divide that separate the rich and the poor countries. He said Ghana through the NCA has been working tirelessly with the Ministry of Communications and other stakeholders to ensure Ghanaians access the electronic world as fast, easily and as affordable as possible. A United Nations message to mark the day, signed by Mr Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General said celebration of World Telecommunication Day focuses on leveraging information and communication technologies to help advance sustainable developments. The message described ICTs as powerhouses of the global economy offering solutions for sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity. It said broadband connectivity is a transformational tool to achieve the three pillars of sustainable development, economic growth social inclusion and environmental balance. It is a key element of the debate of the post 2015 development agenda. As International Telecommunication Union approaches its 150th anniversary, lets work together to bridge the digital divide and harness the power of technology to create a better and more sustainable future for all, the UN noted. GNA // (c) 2014 Ghana News Agency (GNA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |