Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo on Friday, January 19, 2019, led a delegation to the Republic of China to seek support for Ghana’s quest to reform public e-records and archives management.

The delegation is expected to engage in discussions with Beijing Global Safety Technology Company Limited (GSAFETY) on the implementation of one of the programmes of National Public Sector Reform Strategy (NPSRS) 2018-2023, which is ‘Strengthening Records Management System’. This reform is under Pillar Six of the NPSRS. The delegation will undertake a familiarisation tour of the GSAFETY facility.

The delegation comprises Mrs Janet Fofie, chairperson of the Public Services Commission; Mr Thomas Kusi Boafo, Chief Executive Officer, Public Sector Reform; Mr Samuel Abu Bonsrah, acting Chief Director, Office of the Senior Minister; Mr Felix Ampong Nyarko, Director, Records and Archives Administration Department; and Mr Daniel Adu-Gyamfi, Assistant Director, Office of the Senior Minister.

The visit, it is hoped, will create awareness and opportunities for technical and financial support towards the establishment of an e-Records Management System as a nationwide programme for all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and other state institutions.

Upon its implementation, the new system will digitise and automate the operations of the PRAAD to provide online archiving services for private and public sector operators, with full digital backup.

It will also move MDAs, MMDAs and other state organisations away from the current paper-based filing system to electronic records management systems as the accepted standard for record keeping to prolong the lifespan of public records.

It will again renovate the current archival repositories used for the management and preservation of the documentary memory and cultural heritage of the nation.

Finally, this project is expected to reduce, if not eliminate, the incidence of damage or loss of vital public records.

This would be a vast improvement on what currently pertains, a situation which has in the past resulted in huge judgement debts being awarded against the state as a result of its ineffective public records management systems in the public sector.

The government delegation is expected to return on the January 27, 2019.