"We plan to map ICT infrastructure so that all people can get access to available facilities across the country," he said.
According to the official, many projects will be embraced with the use of new technologies so as to ensure fast and good service delivery to communities.
The initiative comes as the country enters the third phase of a 5-year ICT policy, the National Information and Communication program (NIC3) that is to focus on ICT in service delivery after that the first two phases concentrated on ICT literacy and infrastructure development.
So far, the new technology is already being used in some services such as land registration, e-health, Vision 2020 Umurenge and girinka programs as well as business delivery services like mobile money transfers. ATM cards and e-Soko are also being used to facilitate business transactions.
"In general, significant steps have already been made," Turatsinze said.
In the process of encouraging easy interaction between people and leaders, the PS said, ministries use websites and social media like Facebook and Twitter to interact with people as a way of reaching out to the public to improve transparency and accountability. For instance, the Minister of the Local Government, James Musoni has now a page on Facebook and a Twitter account.
Yet Musoni was not the first one among top leaders to embrace social media since President Kagame and the Health Minister Agnes Binagwaho have been using them already for some time.
Mailing groups too have been introduced. For instance, Isonga mailing group was created to facilitate communication between local authorities and central government.
In the same context, an electronic document system should be completed by the end of this year so as to ensure proper filing, Turatsinze said. In addition, the use of teleconferencing is to be stepped up.
The permanent secretary remarked that use of mobile telephone services will also be taken into account as handset penetration has reached 46% countrywide.
"Use of SMS has already brought great results," he said. "For instance, recently we could follow the whole evolution of the flood disaster in Northern Province and even get pictures by using smart phones."
In this respect, efforts are also being made to make smart phones widely available at cheaper prices.
Cell executives will be also trained in basics of ICT through special courses during their itorero session scheduled to start next week, Turatsinze said. An for the general public, an ICT awareness campaign is to be launched in May.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Eric Didier Karinganire
Quelle/Source: AllAfrica, 23.04.2012
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