ACCOUNTING TO THE PEOPLE

118 #ChangingLives
#ChangingLives
#TransformingGhana #TransformingGhana 119
Interior of the National Data Centre
Chiller Room
Chiller Room
Battery Room Standby Generator Telecoms and Broadcasting Regulation Tower, Tamale
which will allow near-paperless
flow of information and also
enhance the operations and
activities of Parliament to improve
upon citizens’ participation in
governance.
Under the e-Tranform project,
Government is investing
US$5million in e-Justice. Already,
three video-conferencing and
telepresence equipment have been
provided to support the Judiciary in
the administration of justice.
So far, Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi
have benefitted from the facility.
The Attorney-General’s office has
also been provided with a video
conferencing and telepresence
facility.
Telecommunications
The telecommunications industry
continues to serve as a major driver
of socio economic development. As
at August 2015, fixed and mobile
telephone subscriptions were
33,099,514 as compared to a little
over 11 million in 2008.
Mobile and fixed internet
subscribers are 17,159,383. It
is expected that as Government
deploys 4G LTE technology, the
citizenry will begin to experience
affordable, reliable and high speed
internet.
A growing telecommunications
industry requires a dynamic
regulatory framework which
ensures customer satisfaction, good
return on investment and adequate
participation of Ghanaians in the
sector.
To this end, in August 2014 Cabinet
approved four policies relating
to the issuance of Mobile Virtual
Network Operating Licenses,
Interconnect Clearing House
License, International Wholesale
Carrier License and Unified
Telecom Licenses.
National Emergency Call Centres
have been set up to provide a unified
national emergency response
number, 112. The number when
dialled enables callers in distress to
reach any of the national emergency
services. The number can be
reached even on phones that have
not been unlocked
Broadcasting
Broadcasting continues to influence
our way of life. It is an indispensable
part of our democratic process. We
will complete the transition from
analogue broadcasting to digital
broadcasting by June 2016. The
Broadcasting Bill is being finalized
with stakeholders for submission to
Parliament.
ICT for all
President Mahama’s Government
is ensuring equitable distribution
of opportunities in all sectors
including the ICT and
Telecommunications sector. This
is manifesting as the provision of
Community Information Centres
(CICs), computers and pay phones
to schools, ICT literacy sessions for
inmates of prisons, the Ghana Police
Service, Nursing Training students,
the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana
National Fire Service among others.
It is significant to note that a Braille
Computer laboratory has been
developed for the use of pupils at
the Akropong School for the Blind.
Fish Finders, a GPS based
equipment, have been distributed
to fishers to enable them easily
locate fish, improve their catch and
enhance their incomes.
Deprived communities are
also being provided with
telecommunication services through
Solar Powered Rural Telephony
Facilities.
Enhanced Community
Information Centres (e-CICs)
In furtherance of the commitment
of Government to use the medium
of ICT to promote an all-inclusive
information and knowledge-based
society to benefit under-served
and unserved communities,
Government continues to promote
the Community Information Centre
concept. In 2014, utilizing part
of the savings from a Value-for-
Money Audit of the e-Government
Platform Project, the Ministry
of Communications commenced
the construction of 21 enhanced
Community Information Centres
(e-CICs) in all the ten regions,
in addition to over 40 CICs and
nine Regional Innovation Centres
completed since 2013.