Current ICT Initiatives and projects - Ghana
ICT initiatives are currently ongoing at national level in the areas of eGovernance (eGhana, Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System, Ghana Open Government Partnership (OGP), e-Immigration, Ghana Open Data Initiative, Biometric Passports and Voters ID), eHealth (National eHealth Strategy, National Health Insurance Scheme, eHealth Initiative), ICT Skills Development (Better Ghana ICT project) and other Initiatives (Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre, Koffi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence, Ghana Space Science and Technology Centre, Ghana Radio Astronomy Project and Taarifa).
eGovernance
eGhana
In July 2006, the World Bank approved a loan for the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Communications with the objective of assisting the Government of Ghana to generate growth and employment by leveraging ICT and public-private partnerships to;
- develop an IT Enabled Services Industry; and
- contribute to improved efficiency and transparency of selected government functions through e-government applications.
The project consists of three components: Enabling Environment, Support to Local ICT Businesses and IT-Enabled Services (ITES).
Component 1- Enabling Environment
A . Capacity-building and operational support to Ministry of Communications for the overall coordination, implementation, financial management, procurement, monitoring, reporting, evaluation and communication of Project activities.
B . Support to National Communications Authority for the preparation and implementation of regulatory instruments and measures to decrease the costs of international telecommunications and improve the quality of telecommunication services.
C.
- Formulation and implementation of key government ICT sector policies and action plans in line with the Government's ICT for Accelerated Development Policy;
- Formulation and implementation of a national IT-Enabled Services (ITES) policy to promote an enabling environment for addressing the needs and priorities of the ITES sector;
- Preparation of new or revised key ICT legislation and regulations, including electronic transactions (e-signature and e-commerce), privacy and data protection, intellectual property rights, cyber-crime and cyber-security, consumer protection and other related laws and regulations;
- Formulation and implementation of postal policies and capacity-building assistance to the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission to establish a conducive environment for investments in improved logistical services;
- Advisory support for the re-privatization of the incumbent state-owned telecommunication companies to improve the national communications infrastructure roll-out;
- Preparation of revisions to the broadcasting and freedom of information legal and regulatory framework, including design of institutional arrangements for regulatory oversight of the broadcasting sector and provision of related capacity-building support;
- Analysis of options for the development of sustainable community information centres, and potential support for the roll out of such centers based on the analysis.
Component 2 - Support to Local ICT Businesses and IT-Enabled Services (ITES) in Ghana
A. Support for the development of ITES human capacity including:
- Preparation and implementation of an ITES human resources development plan, including creation of an ITES vocational training expert group with members from concerned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)
- Development of ITES skills set standards, training curriculum and training institutions accreditation mechanism, and carrying out of other short-term and long-term ITES education activities
- Provision of Matching Grants to eligible public and private institutions to develop and implement ITES training programs, including designing of incentives to encourage equal participation of women
B . Establishment of a linkage program between educational institutions and ICT businesses, including the provision of Matching Grants to eligible educational institutions, for the purpose of reflecting business and operational experience into the ICT/ITES training curricula.
C. Development and implementation of an investment promotion strategy to attract and retain investors in the Recipient's ITES and business process offshoring industry.
D. Support to the local ICT private sector through:
- Provision of a Matching Grant to an eligible public or private institution to develop a shared software testing facility for the purpose o f assisting local ICT small and medium enterprises to obtain international quality certification;
- Provision of Matching Grants to eligible networks of business incubators and similar institutions to support the incubation and development of new businesses with ITES-related activities;
- Capacity-building and operational support to the Outsourcing Association of Ghana to nurture existing small, medium and large ITES companies and catalyze the Recipient's ITES industry.
Component 3 - eGovernment Applications and Government Communications Development of IT architecture and interoperability standards for government applications and networks.
A. Development of IT architecture and interoperability standards for government applications and networks.
B. Provision of Government Investment Support under a public-private partnership for the setting up of a high-speed government-wide communications network connecting key MDAs for the purpose of sharing information and applications and securing government databases.
C. Provision of Government Investment Support under a public-private partnership for the establishment of a shared portal infrastructure for key MDAs to reduce costs, improve security of databases and facilitate the delivery of e-government services, including a data center, payment gateway, security and authentication systems and load balancing capabilities.
D. Carrying out of specialized ICT training for chief information officers and technical staff of key MDAs, and for legislators and magistrates.
E.
- Carrying out of a feasibility study for the establishment of public-private partnerships in developing electronic applications of the Internal Revenue Service and other e-government applications
- Support for the engagement o f private sector partners for such applications
- Provision of Government Investment Support under public-private partnerships for the development of e-government applications.
Funding sources: IDA (World Bank), Loan of $42 million, 2006 - 2014
Geographic scope and time frame : National
The Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS )
GIFMIS is part of the e-Ghana project aimed at reforming the Public Financial Management in Ghana. It is a four-year project, which is being implemented by the Controller and Account General's Department. GIFMIS seeks to establish and use Public Financial Management functionality at government treasuries to improve macro-fiscal discipline and financial management in Ghana.
The main objectives of the project includes:
- Promote efficiency, transparency and accountability in public financial management through rationalization and modernisation of budgeting and public expenditure management of the Government of Ghana;
- Promote the timely dissemination of information for financial management;
- Rationalize the financial Administrative Decree and Regulations;
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of revenue collection of by the revenue collection of the Government of Ghana;
- Maximise payment and commitment control.
It is planned that the GIFMIS will serve as the single source system for official budget creation and management, cash and treasury management, purchase ordering and payment and financial control and reporting for the country as a whole.
Current Status : The Procure to Pay (P2P) Business Process has been deployed in 28 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Accra and their spending units. All ten regional treasuries have also been linked to the GIFMIS system and have been using the system since December 2012. The General Ledger Module has also been deployed in all key agencies.
Funding sources : IDA (World Bank), UKAID, European Commission and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)
Geographic scope: National
Ghana Open Government Partnership (OGP)
In 2011 Ghana signed the OGP Initiative to improve public services, increase public integrity, manage public resources effectively and to create safer communities while also increasing corporate accountability. OGP is a voluntary, international multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to their citizenry to promote transparency, enhance citizen's participation, promote accountability and adopt new technologies to strengthen governance.
Within the framework of promoting state-civil society collaboration, the OGP is governed by a Global Steering Committee comprising representatives of government and civil society organisations.
Current status: As part of the OGP Initiative Ghana has developed a National Action Plan in 2012 where it further committed to build on the on-going open government initiatives and to further deepen Government's resolve to make it more open, accessible, transparent and accountable for the people through the application of modern ICT.
In the Action Plan period (2013-2014), the Government planned to extend its co-operation to the private sector, civil society and all independent commissions of state and political parties to ensure that government remains open to all sectors of society in order to raise the degree of openness to a level compatible with Ghana's governance status within the international community.
In terms of technology and innovation, the Government of Ghana continues to work on the policy of achieving economic growth and development through the development and deployment and application of ICT. The modernization of the civil and public services through the application of ICT will be accelerated to complete the goal, within the Action Plan period, of implementing three major ICT-based projects: e-immigration, Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and Ghana Open Data Initiative (GODI).
Geographic scope and frame: National
e-Immigration
The aim of the Ghana integrated e-Immigration system is to manage the increased visitor numbers, help regulate and monitor employment and residence activities related to foreigners. It will also regulate entry into and exit from Ghana and provide an effective management system for permit processing while also meeting current and future needs of the Ghana Immigration Service.
NITA is responsible for coordinating the project.
Ghana Open Data Initiative (GODI )
In 2011, Ghana joined the global Open Data Initiative (ODA) and GODI was started by the NITA in partnership with the Web Foundation in 2012. The objective of the initiative includes promoting transparency in government transactions and creating business opportunity for re-use of open government data. The initiative leverages an innovative approach to governance and how public services should adapt their procedure to meet the demands and necessities of citizens. GODI plans to facilitate data collection and dissemination by MDAs and trigger innovation and development through the use of the data disseminated.
Current status: The final results are expected by December 2013 but the project will follow an ongoing delivery, monitoring and evaluation process.
Funding source: NITA
Biometric Passports and Voters ID
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has replaced old voters' register with a biometric register for subsequent elections.
The Government of Ghana has also commenced the issuance of machine-readable biometric Diplomatic and Service Passports. This is in conformity with regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and also the desire to improve the security of passports.
e-Health
National eHealth Strategy (2011)
Ghana is working towards becoming a middle-income country by 2015. eHealth is seen to be an important enabler of this vision.
In July 2010, the Ministry of Health (MoH) launched the National e-Health Strategy , to enable effective delivery of quality, affordable and up-to-date health services nationwide by enhancing communication and the use of ICT for planning, managing and delivering health services.
Key strategies under the national e-Health strategy include:
- Streamlining the regulatory framework for health data and information management;
- Building sector capacity for wider application of e-health solutions in the health sector;
- Increasing access through the use of ICT towards a paperless records and reporting system.
Current Status: The ICT4AD programme provides a blueprint of the use of information technology in the health sector. The MoH has developed a sector specific policy on ICT. The NITA is also addressing issues relating to legislation covering electronic data interchange, data security and privacy and computer misuse and electronic fraud. The agency has also developed Government Interoperability Framework.
National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
Ghana is regarded as an innovator in national health insurance. NHIS was created by an Act of Parliament, the National Health Insurance Act 650, 2003 as a social intervention program intended to provide financial risk protection against out of pocket health care expenditure for residents in Ghana.
By effectively deploying the use of ICT, Ghana has developed an effective NHIS and plans to introduce biometric identity cards that can be used at the point of registration. It will aims to pilot electronic claims processing (e-claims).
eHealth Initiative
An electronic health delivery system was launched in May 2013 to enable doctors reach patients remotely. With this service, doctors are able to offer 24-hour online examination and advice without the patients leaving their home or offices. It seeks to augment the existing health care system.
The initiative is to serve as a platform for doctors, to share ideas and experiences relating to patients.
It has the potential to benefit rural areas where an eKiosk could be fitted with e-health and operated by a volunteer and an interpreter.
Funding sources:Eximbank
ICT Skills development
Better Ghana ICT Project
As part of the Government's commitment to build a better Ghana through science, technology and innovation, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation with the support and collaboration of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Communication and the GETFund, has been distributing free laptops to students of secondary and tertiary education in Ghana. The laptops are assembled in Ghana by RLG Communication Company under the Better Ghana ICT Project. The initiative aims to boost local content participation in the ICT education and ICT sector in Ghana.
Geographic scope: national (3000 computers distributed to individuals and schools nationwide)
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
The National Communications Authority introduced Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in July 2011. It allows Ghanaian mobile customers to move from one mobile service provider to another whilst retaining their entire mobile number.
As of September 2011 (twelve weeks after the commencement of MNP), a total of 105,678 mobile phone subscribers in Ghana had taken advantage of the MNP.
Other Initiatives
Other initiatives include the Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre, Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence, Ghana Space Science and Technology Centre, Ghana Radio Astronomy Project, and Taarifa.
Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre (GMIC )
The Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre (GMIC) was established in 2005 to promote ICT Entrepreneurship Development through the incubation of ICT business start-ups and to also develop ICT skills under the Government's ICT4AD initiative. With support through UNDP and the Government through the Ministry of Communications, the centre aids start-ups and young business that have ground-breaking and innovative ICT ideas to mature into viable business ventures. The start-ups are provided with business support and comprehensive mentoring process.
The Incubator houses 13 tenant-companies who are undertaking various innovative and technological developments.
The Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence
The Ghana-India Koffi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITIKACE) is Ghana's first advanced information Technology Institute working to stimulate the growth of ICT sector in ECOWAS. Established in 2003, through a partnership between the Government of Ghana and the Government of India, it provides a dynamic environment for innovation, teaching and learning as well as practical research on the application of ICT4AD in Africa.
Ghana Space Science and Technology Centre (May 2012)
The Ghana Space Science and Technology Centre was launched in May 2012 in collaboration with South Africa, United States and Nigeria to develop and coordinate programmes in space science and technology for the socio-economic development of the country. It aims to become an arena of excellence in space science and technology, through teaching, learning and space research commercialisation. The centre will also equip scientists and researchers with capacity and skills in areas such as remote sensing, geographic information systems monitoring and data interpretation as well as application, which will enable more future collaborations in the field.
Ghana Radio Astronomy Project (African VLBI Network)
Ghana Radio Astronomy Project is currently being implemented as part of the SKA project. After MEST contracted DST/SKA for collaboration in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA Africa) project in 2010, Ghana is now one of the eight African partner countries where SKA outstations will be built. The project is currently underway with the conversion of formally Vodafone Ghana 32-m Satellite Earth Stattion at Kuntunse.
Taarifa
Officially launched as 'The Ghana Districts Monitor', Taarifa is an ICT-based platform to help citizens and local governments monitor waste disposal. It is a smart phone-based app that enables community based reporting and monitoring of service delivery. The platform is an online tool for information collection, visualization and interactive mapping which allows citizens to document and report issues and service delivery gaps via SMS, online feedback forms, email or Twitter.
The platform was implemented to enable civil society to monitor waste collection services in the city on behalf of the urban poor and report problems to the concerned authorities. Taarifa is designed to be a sustainable and powerful social accountability tool.
