While African countries may be celebrating increase in access to and the use of basic telephone services, the more advanced countries are increasing access to new technologies such as internet and broadband at such an exponential rate. Broadband is no doubt an accelerator of social and economic development in the modern world with its applications enabling and facilitating economic and social services such as Public Safety, National Security, Telemedicine, e-government, distance learning, utility applications etc.
There is already a growing broadband divide between Africa and the rest of the world. There is therefore an urgent need to initiate national policies aimed at promoting ubiquitous broadband deployment.
Conclusion
One of the modern tools of human development is the application of ICTs in all the sectors of the economy. The effects of ICTs on economic structures are very visible today in most development initiatives. The way people live and carry out their business, economic and social activities is gradually changing due to ICTs. Information and knowledge is greatly enhanced through timely and wide dissemination without the limitations of national boundaries.
Africa must therefore be a continent in a hurry to build a strong ICT infrastructure required to drive economic development and empower the citizens.
Though some notable growth has been recorded in the sector, there still remains a lot to be done. We still need a pervasive fiber optic transmission infrastructure spanning across the whole of Africa. We still need a much higher penetration of internet and broadband facilities at business premises, educational institutions and homes. An information economy can only be built on a modern, solid and dependable ICT infrastructure.
Although ICT will not solve all the problems of sustainable development and socio-economic challenges, there is consensus that nations that fail to take the great opportunities offered by ICTs are likely to be left far behind in the global economy. The best evidence can be found in the widening gap between those communities, cities, regions and countries that have embraced the information society and those that have not.
The growth recorded in the last decade in the ICT sector in Africa is commendable and must be sustained. What is perhaps more urgent is the need to work towards recording the same level of success in the Electric Power Sector. Availability of constant and reliable power supply to industries, businesses and homes is critical to Africa’s future growth. It is the next revolution that must happen to give Africa its rightful position in the global ecosystem. President Yaradua has this at the core of the seven point agenda of his presidency. This however needs to be an Africa-wide initiative and commitment to facilitate even development of the region.
Finally I will like to seize this opportunity to encourage those of you who have finished your studies here to consider going back home to join in the task of developing Africa. Some of you have relevant skills that are in high demand inyour various countries. As stated earlier, there are quite a number of Africans in Diaspora that have taken advantage of the boom in the ICT and other sectors and returned home. They have been making great contributions in their various professional fields. I will be available to answer any questions that anyone may have on this subject.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Ernest Ndukwe
Quelle/Source: This Day, 14.05.2008
