How to successfully increase the usage and availability of ic ts localizing services and creating opportunities

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

7th October, 2013.

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

Has a population of 24 million

The country spans an area of

238,500 km2 (92,085 sq. mi). Water

covers 3.5% of the area

Population density of 99.9/km2

(258.8sq.mi)

Capital and Largest City is Accra

Home to the largest artificial lake in

the world-Lake Volta

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

Ghana at Glance

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 10th in Africa behind countries such as Nigeria, Senegal, and Gambia in West Africa.

The Fund was launched in November, 2004.

However, operations of the fund started in January

2005.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

7. To connect all local and central government departments and establish websites and email 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

Programme Constituents Projects

1.

Cyber laboratory

Community Information Centre (CIC)

Library Connectivity

Post Office Connectivity,

Community Initiated Projects, etc

School Connectivity(SCP)

2.

Rural Telephony and

Internet Access

Common Telecom Facility(CTF)

Rural Telephony

Rural Payphone, etc.

3.

ICT for Livelihood

E-fishing (ICT for sustainable Fishing)

Last Mile Initiative

Disability Employment,

4.

ICT Support to

Government

Institutions

Ghana News Agency

Meteorological Authority

NADMO, etc.

Security Agencies (Prison,Police, Military,

NADMO etc)

5.

Broadcasting

Radio

TV, etc.

6.

Capacity

Building

Initiatives and

Awareness

Public Education of ICT & related issues, etc.

Training for CIC Managers, etc.

Programme

Constituents Projects

Capacity Building

Local Content Development

Forging partnerships with local authorities, NGOs etc to provide ICT services

ICT Infrastructural Development

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

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

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

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.

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.

MILITARY OFFICERS IN GIFEC

SPONSORED-ICT TRAINING

INMATES IN AN ICT CLASS IN A GHANAIAN PRISON

Security ICT Support Projects

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

Students using the Rural Payphones

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.

School Connectivity Project – 703 schools Community Information Centers- 93 centers Common telecommunication Facility/Rural

Telephony – 70 sites ICT capacity building- 4000 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

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

10000 Laptops distributed to Schools

1. High cost of internet bandwidth makes internet

access a luxury

2. Poor Quality of Service(QoS) from mobile

operators

3. Limited funding

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.