icegov2012 proceedings

Kenya it is the minister for Information Communication ministry.
The political goodwill may not be achieved easing in order to
support policy implementation.
3.4 ICT Infrastructure
Infrastructure covers both national and institutional levels. At
national levels, a system to ensure usefulness of the installed
infrastructure has to be assured of. In Kenya’s and Ghana’s case
for instance, building the broadband infrastructure is an agenda.
Achievements realized in Korea, Malaysia, Canada, Australia and
Singapore is as a result of broadband deployment. All countries
based on the objectives of the respective Act, targets were set
which include:
• An increase in penetration for the whole country and rural
areas respectively. An interim target of 30 per 100 persons
had been set for Malaysia by the year 2005 and fully
developed by year 2020 for example [1].
• Quality of service at affordable costs.
• Infrastructure development, communications and multimedia
infrastructures with adequate and effective plans for
supporting overall economic development.
• Creation of a hub to serve the global hub of communications
and multimedia industry in this region.
Development of ICT infrastructure is mentioned in the policy. The
policy went further to mention need for provision of infrastructure
e.g. energy and roads, support software development, promotion
of local manufacturing among others. The policy recognizes
power of open source software. However, the policy is just
generic. The Kenya ICT policy is not providing details on how it
will promote local software development. The Ghanaian Policy
proposes no duty on computer hardware [8]. The policy for the
benchmarked five countries are explicit on how to go about by
saying that foreign owned and multinationals who will establish
such production facilities and employ the local workforce, shall be
offered special incentives. This can be part of technology transfer
to the local workforce.
The Kenya NICTP has several objectives concerning broadband
issues to hitherto disenfranchised and isolated populations in the
country and to extend the connection to the neighboring countries.
The fact finding report revealed that, the private sector especially
the mobile operators have invested substantially in developing an
efficient infrastructure [4] [11]. However, interoperability,
reliability and rural access are still a challenge in some parts of the
country based on the provider to the initiative. Infrastructure
sharing is the most sustainable and efficient way of rolling out
infrastructure, even though it is facing internal resistance from the
operators who consider their infrastructure as a business
differentiation tool.
The Ghana NICTP has several objectives concerning universal
access issues to hitherto disenfranchised and isolated populations
in the country. The fact finding report revealed that, in the private
sector especially the mobile services have grown thus increasing
the number of service providers. Spacefon, a GSM operator is the
only mobile phone operator that has deployed its services in all
the ten regional capitals and most key cities and towns across the
country [8]. However, interoperability, reliability and rural access
are still a challenge in the country to the initiative. Infrastructure
sharing is the best as the sustainable and efficient way of rolling
out infrastructure. Ghana Telecom, the national carrier that is
supposed to be at the forefront of ICT development is struggling
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and has failed to keep up with the times. The problems of Ghana
Telecom are further compounded by the array of legal battles it
has found itself to deal with. Telekom Malaysia has been
throwing legal challenges to the national carrier and the Ghana
government.
3.5 The ICT Industry and Human Resource
The ICT industry is service or hardware manufacturing or
assembly based. Companies should be involved in all aspects of
the business. A national ICT policy could stimulate the
establishment, development and growth of ICT businesses
through incentives and support provision. In Korea for example,
several strategies to enhance productivity and efficiency across
economic sectors and SMEs through the use of ICT were set and
it worked. Furthermore, the International Cooperation Division of
Department of Information Technology has been set up to
promote international cooperation in the emerging and frontier
areas of information technology under bilateral, multilateral or
regional framework. Such interaction provides an opportunity for
sharing of knowledge and experience with countries, international
bodies, academia and institutions for forging partnerships for
mutual progress.
As far as international cooperation with Korea is concerned, it
has been envisaged to promote the investment flow from Korea
to the Indian ICT hardware sector, exploitation of
complementarities, development of technology, human resource
development, next generation ICT industry, Broadband
infrastructure, E-Governance, etc. Two major Korean companies
LG and Samsung are established brand names in Indian
households and have already acquired a major share of the Indian
market in the electronics and white goods segments. The Indian
customers are happy with the pricing and service provided [21].
NICTP was to make Ghana and Kenya a producer and not a mere
consumer of ICT products and services. It is thus clear that the
ICT Policy is expected to create conducive environment for a
vibrant and sustainable ICT industry, making the country a more
competitive developer and producer of ICT products and services.
The policy lacks support to entrepreneurship and emphasis on
small and medium enterprises (SMEs). On human resource
development, Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore and Malaysia
defined it clearly in their ICT policies. Malaysia set several
objectives to improve the human resource capacity that stimulates
improving science and technology courses, the use of e-learning
and training teachers on ICT skills. Korea, Singapore, Canada and
Australia trained the mass so that the mass is able to use the
technology and appreciate the advantages.
Kenya and Ghana NICTP provides for the development of an ICT
ready workforce with the objective of increasing human resource
ICT skills, support ICT training for political decision-makers,
community and civil society leaders, as well as private and public
sector executives, expand and develop the teaching of ICT at all
levels of the national system of formal and informal education and
training, to foster interest among scientists and citizen at large.
However, the policy does not address how this is achieved. Korea
set up a 3rd Basic Plan for Informatization Promotion (2002-
2006) issued in April 2002, to provide every Korean with learning
opportunity by fostering an online learning environment and
training on Internet usage skill [15. Kenya and Ghana policy does
not focus on regional linkages in human capacity development,
for collaboration and knowledge sharing.