Accra, May 16, GNA - A draft policy document expected to define specifications governing information flow across government and the public sector is being facilitated by the Ministry of Communications, Dr Benjamin Aggrey Ntim, Deputy Minister, said on Tuesday. Dubbed the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) Policy, it is aimed at enhancing the judicious use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in the country.

The policy would also allow electronic information and transactions to "operate seamlessly across agencies and jurisdictions". Dr Ntim was speaking at the launch of the 10th West Africa Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) Exhibition and Conference (AITEC), in Accra on the theme: "Using ICT as a tool for Information and Knowledge Management."

Dr Ntim said the e-GIF would cover areas such as interconnectivity, data integration, and access to e-services and content management. He said inputs would be required from various stakeholders to ensure that the framework contributed to "national information, knowledge management and the sharing process."

"The drive towards an information society requires us to create a world of greater interconnectivity, accelerated flow of data and shrinking time in doing business within and outside national boundaries", he said.

Dr Ntim said it was necessary for Ghana to develop a technological evolution that would lead to poverty reduction and the transformation of the existing societal framework using ICT tools.

"Our greatest challenge is to strive to have a unified approach and understanding to bridge the gap in knowledge that is crucial to the elimination of poverty, as we strive to provide equal opportunities of growth to everyone."

Dr Ntim said discussions were underway between the governments of Ghana and China to source a soft loan for fibre-optic connectivity to the entire country and said it would be concluded by June this year with the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister to Ghana. He said an incubator laboratory had also been established at the Ghana Multi-media Centre to research into specific solutions in ICT development for the country.

He said the three-day conference, which brought together more than 30 local and international ICT suppliers, should be used as a platform to learn and share information on the subject of knowledge management. Dr Ntim said it was noteworthy that majority of the exhibitions had been mounted by companies operating in Ghana, saying that it would help develop solutions for peculiar ICT problems in the country. Kwami Ahiabenu II, Executive Director AITEC Ghana said the focus of the exhibition was on how the private and public sectors could utilise the opportunities presented by ICT as a tool for information and knowledge management in the West Africa sub-region and beyond. 16 May 06