Accra, Jan. 27, GNA - Ministers of Communications and Technology in West Africa have converged in Accra to map out policies and strategies for the implementation of the Action Plan on electronic-governance (e-governance) recommended by the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

The two-day Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Conference being organised by the Ministry of Communications and Technology (MCT) in partnership with Deloitte, (formerly Deloitte and Touche,) a multinational corporate body in Ghana is being attended by over 400 delegates from the public and private sectors in the Sub-Region.

The Conference, the second to be organised in Ghana, is on the theme: " Towards Efficiency in Governance- the African Experience". Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Senior Minister, joined the participants to witness a live video conference from Twifo Praso in the Central Region and Howard University in the US as a sidelight of ICT innovations. Mr Mensah expressed the need for e-governance to combat inefficiencies in the public sector and to help eliminate the frequent factional conflicts in the Region, borne out of poverty, ignorance, suspicion and resentment.

He said there was no need for the public sector in Ghana to engage in manual and laborious business transactions in an electronic age.

"In an electronic age I cannot understand why it takes, at times six weeks for 20 million cedis to be transferred from a commercial bank in Accra to Sunyani."

The Senior Minister said the MCT and Ministry of Energy were working on a Fibre Optic Infrastructure to enhance the development of ICT in Ghana and the Sub-Region.

Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of Communications and Technology said the Conference would improve on public access to information and make governance meaningful.

"In the affirmations made at the just ended World Summit on the Information Society, we have committed ourselves to strengthen cooperation to seek common responses to the challenges of sustainable development".

Mr Kan Dapaah said: "Let me emphasise that collaboration and partnership should be our common approach to crossing the digital divide. Evidently, all of us have some experiences and accomplishments to share.

"Let us through collaborative efforts build up synergy and harness the seamless potential of ICT to our mutual benefit."

Mr Kan Dapaah said the Ministry of Communication was in consultation with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to institute awards to honour government institutions and individuals that applied and displayed innovations in ICT.

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of the New Partnership for Africa's Development and Regional Integration said an official visit he undertook to the five countries in the Sub-Region revealed high expenditure and inefficiencies in communication links.

He said he was compelled by circumstances to buy three Sim Cards to be able to communicate in three out of the five countries he visited, adding "I as at now I do not know which card represent which country."

He said cost of communication in the Region is about 20 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product per a person as compared to the about one per cent of GDP per a person in the developed countries.

Mr Desi Lopez Fafie, Director General of Oracle, an ICT venture and main sponsors of the Conference said, he had discussed with Togo President Gnassingbe Eyadema the possibility of using ICT to circumvent the normal channels of disseminating information about Africa to improve on the public relations image of the continent.

Mr Charles Laba, Managing Director of Computer Information Systems, said the public service in Ghana appeared to be intimidated by ICT innovations and called on the relevant authorities to give the needed support to reverse the situation.

Mr Martin Ato Fynn of Deloitte suggested the need for the introduction of ICT in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies and the rural areas, especially to farmers to improve on their production. Professor Stephen Adei, Rector and Director General of Ghana Institute of Management and Professional Studies (GIMPA) who chaired the function said in the competitive globalised world, the size or population of a country was insignificant to the ability of a country to improve its knowledge and capability in ICT and other innovations.

Over 100 exhibitors from government and industry are showcasing various products and services at the Conference.