The Ghana Information and Communication Technology Directorate (GICTeD) launched the Enterprise Architecture (EA) and the E-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) projects to facilitate the exchange of data between government agencies, public institutions and other relevant sectors to improve public sector service delivery.
The projects are currently under development by the U.K.'s Lennox Consulting and Netwise as part of Ghana's e-governance initiative.
The e-GIF project will employ a set of policies, technical standards, and guidelines to achieve interoperability among ministry, department and agency (MDAs) systems and those used by the public. On completion of the project, all MDAs and other governmental institutions will have a template to guide the develop of EA standards for their operations. The project will support the establishment of a shared government-wide area network with high-speed connectivity for sharing information and applications.
A supporting portal will consist of a national data center -- incorporating a backup data center, payment gateway, and security and authentication systems -- with load balancing capabilities. The portal is expected to become a key interface between the government, its citizens, media and civil society, thereby promoting transparency and encouraging feedback on public policy programs.
The project is in line with Ghana's ongoing public sector reforms, said Communications Minister Benjamin Aggrey Ntim at the launch in Accra. The EA program, he noted, is aimed at breaking barriers restricting organizations from collaborating. The e-GIF policy will promote the exchange of information through efficient internal and improved online access.
Both EA and e-GIF will provide a well-structured ICT environment for resource, labor and information sharing among public institutions, said Sam Somuah, director-general of GICTeD. The programs, he added, are crucial in addressing delays in setting up companies in the country due to the lack of coordination between various public institutions.
Working groups compromising representatives from various public institutions will be constituted to develop standards that will consider the technology needs of every party, Somuah said.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Emily Aggrey
Quelle/Source: NetworkWorld, 09.09.2008
