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If I Were The Administrator Of GIFEC

By Georgina asare- Fiagbenu
Opinion The Writer
JUN 22, 2016 LISTEN
The Writer

There is no doubt that the advent of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has accelerated the transformation and development of the world. Ghana, realising the potential of ICT as a tool and enabler for development started the process of developing an ICT policy in 1998.

However, the policy, ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) was finally adopted around 2003.This policy gave birth to some important agencies which will act as active drivers of the ICT agenda. Flowing out of this a few years later, the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), was established with themandate of providing “Universal Access to Electronic Communications to promote social and economic development”. It was originally set up as Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL).

Last two weeks, GIFEC celebrate 10 years of its existence under the theme: “Ten Years of making Electronic Communications Accessible to the Nation”. A number of activities were put together to commemorate the landmark occasion.

One of the activities which GIFEC undertook during the celebration and which caught my attention was an eye screening exercise for commercial drivers. I was personally interested in this eye test because in my last two articles which focused on trotro drivers, I wrote about the ‘mystery’ around the commercial drivers’ apparent immunity to eye problems. My take on that issue was that it was strange that whilst a lot of private drivers wore glasses, it was very rare to see commercial drivers in glasses. GIFEC’s exercise proved my assumptions right –I am reliably informed thatthe Eye Test for commercial drivers revealed that many of them had eye problems – indeed it was worse than they thought. This issue has to be taken very seriously. Isn’t it strange that commercial drivers (both trotro and tax) in Ghana hardly wear glasses?Could some of the accidents on our roads be attributed to poor vision of the drivers?

Having been associated with the telecom sector for several years, I know that legally, Telcos are mandated to contribute one percent of their annual revenue into GIFEC’s fund for their operations. The contributions of the Telco’sremains a key source of funding for GIFEC. I believe there are other sources which I am not aware of.

As GIFEC celebrates10 yearsof its existence, it is important to recount some of their achievements.

GIFEC’s activitiesare quiet many but I will highlight only a few which they undertake to promote Universal Access to Communications Programme. Some of the initiatives include Cyber Laboratory Programmes; Universal Access to Telephony; ICT for Livelihood; ICT Education, Awareness & Content and Broadcasting.

According to GIFEC they have set up Cyber Laboratory Programmes to support full-service broadband connectivity, services and facilities to designated unserved and underserved communities. Under these are Institutional Support initiatives through which GIFEC provides computers and accessories with full functionality as well as internet connectivity (broadband) services. Some of the beneficiaries are: Passport Office, Midwifery and Nursing Council, NADMO, NCCE, National House of Chiefs and EOCO. I hope that these interventions by GIFEC have improved the operations of the recipient institutions. Providing support to an institution is good, using it appropriately would make things better and I hope the institutions are getting better with these interventions.

The Community Information Center is another means by which GIFEC provides computers, accessories and financial support to communities. The CIC concept is a hybrid profit-making tele centre and non-profit community resource centre established to provide business services and community development information to remote communities. Out of 173 CICs built so far, 136 have been equipped with the support of GIFEC. Again, we need to see the impact these interventions are making. ICTs are to empower people and make them more efficient.

Among the activities initiated by GIFEC, I am very excited about the Schools Connectivity Programme because of the opportunity it provides to the youth. This programme involves the provision of high speed computers, scanners, printers, projectors and servers to educational institutions. It is therefore refreshing to note that GIFEC has done so much in this sector. Available statistics shows that 82 Nursing Training Schools; 24 Community Development Institutions; 3 OIC Institutions; 9 Farming Institutions; 26 Technical Institutions; 37 National Vocational Training Institutes; 38 Colleges of Education; 13 Schools for the Deaf and 20 Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) have received support from GIFEC. GIFEC says it has distributed 20,000 Laptops to 200 Junior Secondary schools.These interventions are remarkable.Again,we have to think beyond the provision of computers to the provision of employable skills, development of creative abilities and the application of the knowledge they are receiving. We need the youth to take giant steps in the development of businesses in the ICT sector.

I also got to learn through my research that key security institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Army, Ghana Fire Service, Ghana Immigrations Service and Ghana Prisons Service have all benefited from the GIFEC. Again, I was touched to see Prisonsinmates using computers to learn. I know quite a number of organisations who have provided computers to prisons including the MTN Ghana Foundation.

One of the core mandates of GIFEC is to provide internet point of presence and basic telephony services to bridge the digital gap between the served, underserved and unserved communities in Ghana. According to GIFEC, it has built 51 telephony sites and 300 points of presence. It also intends to distribute about 2,000 mobile phones this year in a bid to provide data enabled handsets to communities to help them access voice and data services.

Another initiative taken by GIFEC which I find commendable is the establishment of The National Emergency Call Centre. I think the center has been under promoted and we need GIFEC to take steps to educate people about the benefits of the center.

In as much as we celebrate GIFEC, we still need to find out what the real impact of all these interventions are. For example, how have the provision of computers helped schools, students and institutions like the Passport office. Secondly we also need to know if GIFEC has made the best use of the resources they have been given. I hope there is regular monitoring and evaluation of the projects.

I have heard people criticise GIFEC for not doing enough with regards to the Rural Telephony Project. Recently, I heard a popular radio morning show host ‘bashing’ Telco’s for not providing access to some communities in remote areas. What they had failed to do was to ask how GIFEC can assist in this regard. Some of the Telco’s have a strong presence in the rural areas. However they can reach more places at a faster pace if GIFEC also provides the needed resources to help them connect the underserved communities.

I do not intend to take anything away from the numerous successes GIFEC has recorded; there is evidence that they are supporting a lot of institutions.

If I were the Administrator of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, I will be encouraged by what has been achieved but the excitement will drive me to find more innovative and efficient ways of delivering of providing Universal Access to Basic Telephony to the unserved and underserved communities in the country.

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