To begin with, kindly read the background to the discussion – here
The first step to defining efficient electronic governance (e-governance) solutions is to have a good understanding of the level of e-governance assimilation in current research. We undertook a review and classification of electronic governance research, which would serve as a roadmap indicating the current state and direction of research topics and projects for both academics and practitioners. This review is an integral part of an e-governance mapping study commissioned by the Africa egovernance Academy (AfegA), United Nations Development Program, Ghana (UNDP) and Open Society of West Africa (OSIWA). The study is being conducted by the African Institute for Development Informatics and Policy (AIDIP).
The report from the review will be launched at the upcoming Africa Digital Week 2011. In this concept note, we will share some of the key findings from the review and which will be a guide for the policy dialogue from 1-29 July, 2011.
The review consisted of 299 articles published between 1990 and 2011 in a diversity of journals and practitioner reports focused on governance, government, global information technology issues, computer science, public policy and political science. Findings suggest that e-governance research is overtly led by the quest for citizen participation and the promise of technology to achieve that. This is has a left a gap emphasizing the lack of adequate policies to comprehensively support e-governance services, particularly in ensuring technological interoperability, shared services between public sector agencies and the active commitment of e-governance stakeholders. These findings outline three key implications on e-governance applications, the motivation behind e-governance programmes and the geographical assimilation of e-governance.
Concerning e-governance applications, first, there is an emphasis for a needs analysis for e-governance applications. Governments need to identify the type of information and service demanded by citizens, businesses and other stakeholders of e-governance. One can argue that a starting point may be an e-governance programme for the environment and climate change which will coordinate all efforts by governments in promoting a sustainable environment and addressing climate change. However, in terms of priorities in roll-out, a needs analysis can spell out the urgency, relevance and potential impact with respect to each e-governance application or service and consistent with current national development goals. Second, e-governance applications should be made more easily accessible. In this respect, ubiquitous applications, mobile agents, interoperable frameworks, shared services between public sector agencies, services using local languages and assistive technologies for persons with disabilities are measures to be explored to increase the accessibility of e-governance applications. Third, governments need to be empowered with simple but comprehensive evaluation models to assess the public value of e-governance initiatives and understand their contribution to national performance. This evaluation should also take into consideration the benefits and costs of e-governance to all stakeholders and how e-governance is related to other e-transformations in the country, particularly, e-business.
Concerning the motivation behind e-governance programmes and agenda, there is a need to explore measures for increasing participation beyond the provision of easily accessible and ubiquitous platforms. The challenge is having the appropriate content and commitment of stakeholders especially government to ensure interactivity. Addressing this may require empowering parliamentarians and government representatives with requisite resources including human resource to create a seamless engagement with the citizens. Further, since content is prime and citizen participation cannot be ignored, there is the need for the establishment of a media platform which will document and coordinate e-governance information and services through geographically dispersed regional correspondents across Africa. Perhaps this could start as a country-level project to encourage representation of content and services for all remote regions in the country and later scale-up to a regional project.
Concerning e-governance assimilation in countries and regions, there is a need for a mapping out of e-governance initiatives, programmes, policies, best practices and supporting institutions in the developing regions of the world. As compared to Europe which dominates in research, Africa is less represented and there is no regional study in the academic literature conducted on Africa. The relevance for a study such as the mapping study commissioned by AfegA cannot be overemphasized. The study has potential to share the experiences, lessons and best practices from Africa to other developing and developed regions in world and thereby foster a South to South knowledge transfer and increase the representation of Africa in global e-governance discourse.
Share Your Views…
To Policy Makers
- What do you think is the way forward in using ICTs to support good governance in Africa? What is your government doing in this respect?
- Does your government have policies and programmes to promote engagement with citizens and businesses through ICTs and more particularly the Internet?
- An open government and A public government which is more important in your promotion of good governance – in other words, can a government be open without being public?
- How is your government extending e-governance services to rural communities, especially to those in remote towns and communities?
- How is your government extending e-governance services to persons with disabilities?
- How is your government addressing issues concerning the privacy of citizens’ data over shared services networks in the public sector agencies?
To Citizens
- What do you think is the way forward for using ICTs to support good governance in Africa?
- Can mobile technologies be used promote interaction and engagement between government services and citizens?
- Are there any examples or best practices to be shared?
- What are potential benefits to be obtained?
- Can local online forums/social networks support deliberation and consultation between governments and citizens?
- Are there any examples or best practices to be shared?
- What are potential benefits to be obtained?How can governments make it safer for citizens to use such platforms? What are privacy and data security concerns?
- How can we ensure participation by less politically engaged groups?
- Would you like to engage with your Parliamentarian online..? What will you like to discuss with your Parliamentarian online? Do you know of any African Parliamentarian who uses online platforms to interact with citizens?
1. What do you think is the way forward in using ICTs to support good governance in Africa?.
Bringing the government to the doorsteps of the people by creating virtual forum and facilities to strength accessibility to government information.
The Government Should use the ICT at the Major driving force to re-engineer and rapidly transform governance to interface with the needs of her citizenry , by establishing transparent Government -wide information systems at National, State and Local Government Level.
To guarantee that the country benefits maximally and contributes mean fully by providing global solutions to the challenges of the information age .
To ensure that information telecommunications resources are available to promote effective use of ICTs in good governance in Africa.
To improve accessibility to public administration for all citizens , bringing transparency to government business.
To have Government agencies on website and online service users forum and complaints .
What is your government doing in this respect ?
Here in Nigeria the Federal Government Developed the National Information (IT) policy in 2000 ,which was approved by the Federal Executive Council . In addition National Information Technology Development Agency was established in March 2001, to implement the policy
The ICT4D Document addressed the Health, Agriculture, Education, Research and Development , Human Resource Development , Governance and Legislature , National Security and Law enforcement, Electronic Government ,Infrastructure ,Private Sectors and Awareness ,Popularization and development. Its presents Nigerias road map for the development of information and knowledge based society and economy as a means of facilitating the realization of national socio-economic development.
Promoting Human Resource development as a key factor to the development of an information based and knowledge driven economy .Transformation of the Education system to be more innovative and flexible to incorporate and recognize creative solutions informal sector requirement , global best practices and standards in ICT
2. Does your government have policies and programmes to promote engagement with citizens and Business through ICTs and more particularly the internets?. Yes
3. An open government and A public government which is more important in your promotion of good governance –in others words ,can a government be open without being public?.
An open Government is more important .Because the citizen will benefit from and open Government.
Government cannot be open without being public .
4. How is your government extending e-governance services to rural communities , especially to those in remote towns and communities ?.
The Government bring communities and stakeholders with common interest to exchange ideas ideas ,online Here in Nigeria oriented internet based e-group are very lively interactive mechanism .The Existing Nigeria oriented e-group includes ,
naijapoliticscom@yahoogroup.com naijanet@yahoogroup.com
naija_it_professionals@yahoogroup.com
pro-unitate@googlegroup.com
Raise awareness among stakeholder communities on relevant social development , economic , moral, technical and many other issues and thus encourage more active participation by the stakeholders
The public Communication Unit (PCU) http://www.nigeriafirst.org This enables government organizations to undertake surveys as well as receive input on public policy and related issues of stakeholders interest.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency http://www.smedan.gov.ng
SERVICOM http://www.nigeria.gov.ng
5. How is your government extending e-governance services to persons with disabilities ?.
Not yet
6. How is your government addressing issues concerning the privacy of citizens data over shared services networks in the public sector agencies ?.
To Citizens .
1. What do you think is the way forward for using ICTs to support good Governance in Africa?.
Bill should be passed into law to enable and encourage the use of ICTs in supporting good Governance in Africa and for the public to seek information from Government and its agencies .
People should be encourage by providing a single interface for the public to register complaints and other concerns effectively and conveniently and public Complaints Commission should be integrated into the websites , LAN,WAN,and the central government information system.
A Dateline should be given to all the Government agencies to have established website and customer feedback mechanisms and A customer care officer should be appointed to Handle Complaints from the public on services .
Providing one-stop shop remote access facility that offers help, information , and problems resolution to citizens.
2. Can mobile technologies be used promote interaction and engagement between government services and citizens?.
Yes Mobile Technologies cab used to promote interaction and engagement between government services and citizens. .
. Are there any examples or best practices to be shared ?.
Dubai government transact portal http://www.dubai.ae which enables Dubia Citizens , Residents, Visitors , Local Business, Foreign Companies and those Investing in Dubai to conduct online transactions and communicate wit Dubia Government Departments Round the Clock.
The City of Ontario in Canada http://www.cio.gov.on.ca/english/e-government.htm provides the following services .
Protecting consumers, information you need to protect your rights, and to inform you of your responsibilities as a customer.
Births, deaths and Marriages . The office of the Registrar General of Ontarior maintains records and issues certificates for major life events , such as birth s ,deaths and marriages .
E-Complaint –Submit a Consumer complaint online .
Land Registration information , Ontario Business Connects , E-law s, Government of Ontario Forms , Publication Ontario Online .
The official Portal of the India Government Http://india.gov.in/ has being designed , developed and hosted by National Informatics Center (NIC) Which is the lead e- Government agency of the Government Of India under the aegis of Department of Information Technology in the ministry of Communications and Information Technology .
The Objective behind the portal is to provide a single window access to the information and services provided by Indian Government for the Citizens and other stakeholders, a comprehensive,accurate , reliable and one stop source of information about india and its various facets .
The City of Ontario in Cannada http://www.cio.gov.on.ca/englisgh/e-government.htm provides information which customers needs to protect their rights , and inform them of their responsibilities
What are the potentials benefits to be obtained .
The Benefits thus is that information about government programs , joint ventures and technical assistant will be communicated to the citizens.
Information about Financing to meet specific business needs, such as information for bidding on government contracts , it will also show all governments procurement notices , Networking with manufactures , suppliers , agencies and customers for electronic procurement and other services such as developmental project .
Audited Government Information
3.. Can Local online forums /social networks support deliberation and consultation between governments and citizens No
Are there any examples of best practices to be shared ?. No
What are potentials benefits to be obtained ?. Nill
How can governments make it safe for citizens to use such platforms?. What are privacy and data security concerns ?.
Government should provide infrastructure at various level and scales , such as access, equipment and connection services .
Providing legal, regulatory and Fiscal incentives to the Platform ,users and promoting the systemic reorientation of stakeholders to value of platform and capacity development of the platform.
Make use of civil liberties and other relevant organizations to evolve standards of platform in sharing information sharing .
Facilitate platform laws, regulations and standard to check the possible violation of privacy.
How can we ensure participation by less politically engaged groups?.
Cost efficient and Cost effective provision of government services
Elimination of major form of corruption , enhanced operational transparency and enhancement of a well articulated and widely inform information .
Facilitate citizens interaction with public officials and organizations.
Provide communities with developmental opportunities .
Promoting infrastructure development include physical and the Telecommunications and Communications infrastructure .
Would you like to engage with your Parliamentarian online?. What will you will like to discuss with your parliamentarian online?. Do you know of any African Parliamentarian who uses online platform to interact with citizens?. No
Posted by Michael Adedotun Oke | July 18, 2011, 11:03 am