| Shall we refresh our memory with this simply but tricky | | | | globally. And one concrete strategy Ghana |
| African proverb which says: "If your hair is dirty and | | | | Government adopted to attain this target was to |
| you do not submit your head to a Barber, nobody will | | | | establish Community Information Centers in all the 230 |
| cut the hair for you." To wit: "No initiative, no end result." | | | | constituencies throughout the country. Beyond WSIS's |
| Information and Communication Technology ICT has | | | | broad objective for all nations, Ghana Government set |
| not only succeeded in transforming the world into a | | | | its own clear cut and specific objectives to use the |
| miniature community but has made it possible for | | | | CICs project to bridge the digital divide between urban |
| mankind to be developing another dwelling place | | | | and rural dwellers in the country. Government aims at |
| beyond the moon besides the planet Earth. But it | | | | demystifying that xenophobic aura surrounding |
| seems to this author that the rate at which other | | | | Computers by taking ICT to the doorsteps of deprived |
| continents are scrambling for space in the space, and | | | | and neglected brothers and sisters in remote rural |
| the pace at which Africa is crawling scientifically and | | | | areas through the Community Information Centers in |
| technologically, it may take another two centuries, that | | | | about 170 districts in Ghana. The CICs are to serve as |
| is, perhaps in the 23rd century before Africa can book | | | | training centers where acquisition of ICT skills and |
| a place in the space. Fortunately for Africa, however, | | | | knowledge are provided for underprivileged people. |
| even though the Continent itself seems to be hopeless | | | | The CICs are to bring government services online |
| technologically, there are abundant individual African | | | | closer to the people at the grassroots. Rural school |
| citizens dotted in all corners of the globe who are | | | | pupils and students can access online library facilities |
| contributing technologically to advancement of mankind | | | | from top educational institutions in any part of world. In |
| into the space. This author can cite at least one citizen | | | | fact the CICs are to serve as a hub in the provision of |
| of Africa - a Ghanaian to be precise by name Dr | | | | Wide Area Network for various district offices of the |
| Ashitey Trebi-Ollenu who is a Member of the NASA | | | | Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies as well |
| Mars Rover Mission in America. So, therefore, there is | | | | as private business entities, NGOs and Community |
| hope for Africa scientifically and technologically. | | | | Based Organizations, Women Groups operating in rural |
| In 2003, Ghana Government completed the formulation | | | | zones of the country. Government is financing the |
| of a comprehensive ICT Policy for the nation. It is | | | | CICs project through HIPC funds with support of the |
| known as Ghana Information and Communication | | | | Country office of the UNDP in Accra. |
| Technology for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD). It | | | | Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications |
| was spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications. | | | | (GIFTEL) under the supervision of the Ministry of |
| It may, however, be of historical interest to state in | | | | Communications is facilitating the provision of |
| passing that the work on the ICT Policy for Ghana | | | | connectivity and infrastructure to the CICs that have |
| actually started in October 1998 by the then NDC | | | | been constructed at underserved/un-served and |
| Government. A National Communications Policy | | | | remote areas. The Project is being implemented jointly |
| Conference dubbed, COMPOL '98 involving all | | | | with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation |
| stakeholders in the ICT sector was held at the Accra | | | | (MINO) in terms of content development of the CICs |
| International Conference Center in Accra. The policy | | | | nation wide with technical and administrative support |
| document was finalized in October 2000 at | | | | from UNDP with particular reference to ICT capacity |
| Akosombe for the approval of Cabinet. However, due | | | | building for Information Officers throughout the country. |
| to bureaucracy the then Cabinet could not pass the | | | | For instance, between May 2007 and April 2008, MINO |
| Communications Bill before elections 2000. Then in | | | | was able to provide basic ICT capacity building to over |
| September 2001, the NPP Government also organized | | | | 100 of its District Information Officers, Public Relations |
| another National Communications Policy Conference, | | | | Officers and Journalists. Some of the areas covered |
| held at GIMPA to review and update the | | | | through workshops and seminars include Computer |
| Communication Policy Document formulated by the | | | | Literacy, Online-Journalism, Content Development and |
| previous Government. The result is what is today | | | | Information Technology Management, thanks to UNDP. |
| referred to as GHANA ICT POLICY FOR | | | | As of December 2007, GIFTEL was also able to |
| ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT. It is commendable | | | | provide training for over 300 persons from |
| to observe that when one Government initiates a | | | | decentralized organizations in twenty-two beneficiary |
| project or program which is in the national interest, | | | | districts in the country. These are the people trained |
| another Government will take it up, review it, update | | | | specifically to manage the CICs. Records also show |
| and improve upon it instead of throwing it out | | | | that Wide Area Network had been completed to |
| altogether. And it is recalled that it was on that fateful | | | | extend internet connectivity to twenty-six (26) CICs. |
| Tuesday of September 11, 2001 when the | | | | Further, thirty-seven (37) CICs are currently said to be |
| communication conference was opened at GIMPA | | | | operational with full compliment of computers, Local |
| that the tragic news of terrorist bombing of the World | | | | Area Network and Wide Area Network. According to |
| Trade Center flashed across the globe. Within the | | | | Mr. Samuel Mensah, Director of Administration at |
| frame work of ICT4AD, Ghana Government has | | | | GIFTEL, a total of one hundred and ten (110) |
| embarked upon several projects including E-Ghana | | | | computers had been deployed at twenty-two (22) |
| Project to transform Ghana into an information | | | | new CICs in some selected districts in the country. |
| enabled society for knowledge based economic | | | | It is important to clarity the point that more CICs are |
| development. But the focus of this piece is on the | | | | reported to be at various stages of development |
| Community Information Centers (CICs) project which is | | | | which an ICT technical person will be in a better |
| not only human-centered but underprivileged rural | | | | position to explain or comment upon. But it is gratifying |
| dweller-centered as well. | | | | to note that slowly but steadily, Ghana's Community |
| As a matter of fact, the CICs project also falls within | | | | Information Centers project is on course. And all things |
| the framework of World Summit on Information | | | | being equal, as this author was assured, H.E. President |
| Society (WSIS), where all nations are enjoined to attain | | | | J.A. Kufuor will officially commission some selected |
| certain targets, including the provision of ICT access | | | | CICs nation wide before the end of the year 2008. |
| and skills to the underprivileged and rural dwellers | | | | |