“Access to relevant information and technology will surely catalyse the transformation of industries, formal and informal sectors, defence, education and financial services, among others,” he said here when inaugurating the Kipawa Institute of Communication Technology on Monday.
To complete the project, the government of South Korea extended a loan of $18 million (Sh22 billion) -- about 80 per cent of the amount required -- whereas the government provided a total of Sh5 billion.
President Kikwete said there was no way the country could develop without harnessing the opportunities provided by ICT.
He said the use of ICT was mandatory in all sectors of production and social life. He highlighted the need to give Tanzanians the requisite skills and knowledge so that they can adapt to changes in science and technology in general.
He pointed out that ICT sector has already been stimulating the rapid development in terms of economic growth.
The institute should, therefore, make sure youth are empowered through ICT.
He, however, identified shortage of well trained professionals in ICT as a major challenge, saying for proper and meaningful harnessing of the sector, it was important to have many well trained experts in the field at all levels. He stressed the need for Tanzania to have a consistent and sustainable ICT policy, which is user-friendly to make it easily implementable.
For his part, Mr Zebadiah Moshi, the director general of the Vocational Education and Training Authority (Veta) said the ICT institute has both short and long-term training programmes that interested students can join.
The Korean ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Young-Hoon Kim, singled out the benefits of the ICT sector’s development include creation of employment, reduction of the cost of running businesses and boosting investors’ confidence in the country.
“My government believes that strategic investment in ICT will allow Tanzania to increasingly play a role in the development of new applications and technological innovations that are relevant for the needs of its people and that this will ensure a continued multiplier effect on economic growth,” he said.
According to Mr Kim, it was also important to look at ways that entrepreneurs can adopt green technology and consider ways to bring many Tanzanians online.ICT had helped propel South Korea from a developing nation, thus within 30 years had grown to become one of the eight richest countries in the world.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Victor Karega
Quelle/Source: The Citizen, 19.03.2013
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