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Wednesday, 3.07.2024
eGovernment Forschung seit 2001 | eGovernment Research since 2001
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a two-part conference, signifying the consolidation of the Africa E-Governance Academy in Accra on July 16th-17th.

The focus of the meeting was the confirmation of the Academy's establishment in Ghana, stationed at the Kofi Annan Center of Excellence. With the use of Information and communication technologies (ICTs), the Academy will act as a system of information sharing across West Africa. E-government uses ICTs to improve governmental operations and services as well as communication between administrative sectors.

Read more: West African Region Moves Forward With E-Government Initiative in Ghana

The Minister for Communication, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, has reaffirmed government's commitment to sustaining the initiative of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) supported by the United Nations Development Programme and other partners to establish the Africa E-governance Academy.

He made this remarks at the opening of the E-Governance Academy in Accra, yesterday, adding that Ghana is excited to be the host as this will give 'us the opportunity to enhance the creation of good governance.'

Read more: Ghana: Africa E-Governance Academy Opens

Ghana’s enthusiastic efforts to consolidate democracy are growing day by day as the government has hinted that plans are at foot for Ghanaians to vote biometrically in the 2016 general elections.

To this end, the government together with other agencies will introduce a Biometric Voters’ Register soon to register all Ghanaians who are legitimate to cast their votes in the country.

Read more: Ghanaians to vote biometrically in 2016 elections

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Communications, on Thursday said government had targeted 2016 for the implementation of biometric voting system in Ghana. "Government is ready to ensure that e-voting becomes a reality in 2016 but if things go well we may even start with it in 2012," he told a meeting of ICT and e-governance experts in Accra.

The minister said this when he opened the maiden two-day General Meeting of the Africa E-Governance Academy (AEA). The academy, jointly established by the Open Society Institute of West Africa (OSIWA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was designed to develop and transfer knowledge and expertise concerning e-governance in West African countries as well as in Mauritania and Chad.

Read more: Ghana: Biometric voting system by 2016

I had the misfortune of visiting the department of immigration to have my work permit renewed a while ago. I was pretty amazed how the routine tasks in the process took the better part of seven days. We dropped off the passport and the standard processing time for a work permit lasted seven full business days, not to mention the almost one hour waiting to get the invoice and travel time to the bank in a different location to pay. Add the return trip with evidence of payment, back to the immigration office to get your interim work permit issued.

I know my experience is trivial when compared to the pain citizens in some other countries face. Hernando De Soto's phenomenal work titled "Mystery of Capital" states procedures to formalize a legally obtained home in Peru consist of five stages!

Read more: Uganda: Relieve Citizens of Poor Service Delivery

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