Republic of Ghana ICT Policy and Plan Development Committee Compilation of ICT related s and Initiatives by Donor and UN Agencies in Ghana A study of the ICT initiatives and projects/programmes being sponsored by the Donor and UN Agencies was conducted by the Technical Support Staff. This exercise was done as part of activities to facilitate the ICT Policy and Plan development process in Ghana. The study was done to gather information on the nature; scope and areas of emphasis of ICT related initiatives and projects/programmes been supported by the Donor and UN Agencies in Ghana. The intention is to gain a broad overview of ICT initiatives in the country in order to advice government. Listed below are the Donor and UN Agencies that were contacted and their responses. The result of the survey is summarized as follows: The name of each project is stated as well as the implementing and sponsoring organisation(s). A brief description of each project is given and the core objective of the project stated. Under the scope, it is stated if the project is organisational; supporting a particular sector; or is a national project. The time frame, the stage, and beneficiary organisations and/or institutions for the project are also stated. The list of organisations contacted is as follows: 1. International Institute of Communication Development IICD International Institute of Communication Development - IICD Global Teenager Ghana IICD Rescue Mission Ghana Deliver ICT to schools. It involves training teachers in ICT and empowering students through collaborative learning circles Time Frame Stage of Beneficiary Inst / Org Sectoral Educational Jan 2003-Dec 2007 Rescue Mission Ghana
Environment Information Net (Infrastructure Development & Capacity Building). IICD Environmental Protection Agency To develop and establish an electronic networking system for information dissemination of environmental information between EPA and FORIG nationwide Time Frame Stage of Beneficiary Inst / Org Sectoral Environmental Two years 1999 to 2001 Pilot EPA/FORIG. Forestry Research Inst GHANA DOT GOV Supporting Organisation IICD Implementing Organisation Min. of Information & Presidential Affairs To design, create and develop a gov t of Ghana Portal to promote E-governance. Expected to enhance national portal. 4 months Pilot MIPA Oct 2002-Jan 2003 E-commerce for Non Traditional Exports DFID through IICD Min. of Food and Agriculture Establishing district information centers and developing databases on selected NT in some districts. To provide information on, and promote NT produce to producers, and traders/exporters in regional markets. through a web-base information system. Sectoral Agriculture Five years Pilot: Started 2000 Imp. July 2002 Impleme 2. United States Agency for International Development
Improved Management and Administration of the Electoral Process Electoral Commission To help EC to communicate internally and among other institutions, and to facilitate outreach and civic education to the rural and urban citizens through the used of. It covers all ten regions and includes a website and e-mail accounts for all regions 08/25/00 08/24/02 (Completed) Electoral Commission Increased access to and use of information Parliament of Ghana Parliamentary Research Center Installation of 14 computers and UPS a server, 2 printers LAN, Radio Equipment for Internet connectivity and Training of staff completed. Development of Website is ongoing Sectoral Parliament 03/25/00 08/24/02 (Completed) Parliamentarians Staff of Parliament Support to Governance Institutions - CHRAJ Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) To serve as resource centers on human rights and anticorruption education and provide a valuable link to the numerous civil society organizations involved with human rights education at the local level Regional Network 05/15/02 12/24/03 CHRAJ
Support to Governance Institutions - Legal Aid Board Legal Aid Board (LAB) To assist LAB to communicate internally and among other institutions, and tofacilitate outreach and civic education to the rural and urban citizens as well as establish and maintain a comprehensive database of its clients across the country. Regional Network 08/31/02 03/31/2004 Legal Aid Board (LAB) Support to Governance Institutions Council for Law Reporting (CLR) and Media Commission (NMC) To assist the institutions in its capacity to communicate internally and among other institutions, and to facilitate outreach and civic education to the rural and urban citizens. Sectoral 08/01 09/02 Council for Law Rep Media Com Time Frame 08/25/97 still on going Establishment of Community Learning Centers Beneficiary Organisations To bring the benefits of the global information revolution to Ghanaian communities by supporting the establishment of Community Learning Centers (CLCs) Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org A number of NGOs in and the various regions
Support of Civil Society Organizations Beneficiary organisations To support Civil Society Organizations with computer and internet connectivity and websites Support to Asanteman in the development of a website Sectoral Time Frame 03/25/00 and still ongoing Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org Legal Research Center, Center for Pub Interest Law, FIDA-Ghana, Time Frame Sectoral 09/01 08/03 Enhanced Decentralized Education Systems for an Improved Learning System /GHANA and IFESH Beneficiary TTC and Int. Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) The expansion and development of Teacher Resource Centers in seven Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org Akrokerri, Bagabaga, Foso, Kibi, Peki, K dua & Tamale 3. Danish Agency for Development Assistance - DANIDA (Royal Danish Embassy) Ghana University Telecom DANIDA Royal Danish Embassy Beneficiary Institutions Improving telecommunications at university of Ghana Sectoral 1997 to 1999 Univ. of Ghana, UCC KNUST
REN Universities of Ghana DANIDA Royal Danish Embassy Beneficiary Institutions Provide Internet link between universities and other research institutions 2000 to 2002 Universities of Ghana and CSIR 4. Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA Health In-service Training JICA - Government of Japan Min. of Health and Ghana Health Service Establishment of in-service training system including computer Data Base in the country Sectoral 1997 to 2003 Min. of Health Ghana Health Service 5. International Development Association IDA of World Bank PUFMARP (BPEMS) IDA - World Bank Min. of Finance Reform of central management agencies and subvented agencies, and the improvement of basic public sector management systems and processes 1997 to July 2003 Min. of Finance, Con ler & Acc t Gen. etc 6. European Commission (European Development Fund)
GIS monitoring development activities European Commission (European Development Fund) CERGIS To strengthen capacity of Government to monitor development activities in the framework of the GPRS 3 years (Start Sept. 2003) Preparation stage CERGIS 7. United Nations Fund for Population Activities UNFPA UNFPA/GOG: Third and Fourth Country Programmes UNFPA and GOG Time Frame Stage of Organisational 3rd Prog - 1996-2001 4th Prog. - 2001-2005 Population Council (NPC Establish Population Information Network (PIN) to serve as a national database on population and related issues. It includes a LAN at the NPC Secretariat, and a WAN to link up the NPC s regional offices and partner institutions Beneficiary Inst./ Org NPC, Partner institution, academic institutions, NGOs and institutions in the field of population. 8. Canadian International Development Agency - CIDA Supporting Organization Implementing Organization GRATIS Phase II (Has ICT component) Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS) To support the development of Ghana s emerging industrial sector by increasing the availability of skilled technicians in the country and introducing new technologies to enhance productivity and quality. Organisational Five years, 08/2000 to 2005 GRATIS
Central Governance CIDA Beneficiaries: (Office of president, Cabinet Secretariat (CS), PPMEDs of key MDAs) To enhance the Government of Ghana s policy management process. To strengthen capacity of the Policy Mgt Group (PMG) in the office of the President, Cab. Sec. and PPMEDs And to improve co-ordination among the PMG, CS, NDPC, some PPMEDs and MOF Time Frame Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org 3.5 years, Ending Oct 2006 Operational Office of president, Cabinet Secretariat, PPMEDs of key MDAs 9. United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Supporting Organization Implementing Organization Consolidating Democratic Governance Programme United Nations Development Programme - UNDP Governance Programme Promoting an advanced level of consolidation in the practice of democratic governance in Ghana through institutional development; advocacy and facilitation of dynamic processes; and more effective coordination of governance partnership. Time Frame Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org Starting October 2002 to 2006 Parliament, CHRAJ, FIDA, Judiciary, SFO, NCCE, NMC, EC, GJA, IEA, TUC, IDEG 10. Department for International Development DFID
project Time Frame 15 months Integrated Personnel and Payroll Database Department for International Development DFID Controller and Accountant General s Department To strengthen GoG s ability to manage and control human resources and payroll costs in the public service by providing them with a sustainable modern, human resources and payroll system to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Database. Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org Min. of Finance Controller & Accountant Generals Departmentt, Office of Head of Civil Service 11. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN - FAO Strengthening Agricultural and Fisheries Statistics Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO) Ministry of Food and Agriculture To provide new methodologies and practices, and technical capacity strengthened for the collection, processing, analysis and dissemination of food and agric statistics including fisheries Time Frame Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org Jan 1999 June 2000 Min. of Food and Agriculture 12. World Health Organisation - WHO Plan of Action 2002-2003 Supporting Organization World Health Organisation - WHO Ministry of Health (MoH) & Ghana Health Service (GHS) It is a biennial agreement between the WHO and GoG in which WHO is to support the Health Sector Programme for the period, especially priority health problems. To strengthen the database and information management system of the various programmes of the MoH/GHS Sectoral Health Sector Two years Jan. 2002-Dec. 2003 Min. of Health Ghana Health Service
13. India High Commission Supporting Organization Implementing Organization ICT Centre of Excellence Government of India Equipment Government of Ghana - Structure Ministry of Communication and Technology Training of skills in ICT to link academia and industry. /Sub Regional Nov.2002 to Feb. 2003. Min. of Communications and Technology 14. United Nations Educational, Scientific And Cultural Organisation UNESCO INFODEV UNESCO and WORLD BANK University of Ghana To link higher educational institutions and research institutions to the information highway to create easy access to information for researchers, students, etc. and create a network Time Frame Stage of Beneficiary Inst./ Org Educational Institutions, Research institutions and students Training of Librarians from a number of institutions on the use of CDS/ISIS UNESCO INSTI at CSIR Training of librarians in the use of the CDS/ISIS software for cataloging etc.
Inventory of Educational Databases in Ghana UNESCO Commission for UNESCO at the Min. of Education To inventory the current situation of Educational Databases in Ghana Sectoral Educational Min. of Education 15. United Nations Children s Fund UNICEF Supporting Organization Implementing Organization Ghana Country Programme UNICEF The project is aimed at Community Development and District Capacity Building Time Frame Beneficiary Inst./ Org / Regional / District 2001 2005 Government of Ghana, District Assemblies, NGOs SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS Response to the Survey A total of eighteen (18) UN and Donor Agencies and some Embassies were contacted for information on the ICT related projects they are sponsoring in the country. Fourteen (14) of the UN and Donor Agencies and one embassy responded as supporting some ICT related projects, and provided the necessary information on them. The remaining three are not sponsoring any ICT related project as of now. The total number of projects received is thirty-six (36). The project information is summarized as follows: Beneficiaries of s From Table 1 below, The Public Sector Organisations (PSO s) are the beneficiaries and implementers of most of the projects. They are the beneficiaries of as many as seventeen projects forming 48.6% of the projects. The Ministries benefited from eleven of the projects, representing 31.4%. The other beneficiaries are some educational institutions; NGOs and some communities. A graphical representation of groups of organizations that benefit from the Donor Agency sponsored projects is also shown. In most cases the beneficiaries of the projects are also the implementers.
Beneficiaries No. of s Percentages Ministries 11 31.40% PSOs 17 48.60% Educational Institutions 4 11.40% NGOs and Communities 3 8.60% Types of s The projects received can be categorized as follows: Delivering ICT to schools and institutions in the form of training teachers, librarians and students. Installing electronic networking systems for communication, and dissemination of information within an establishment and with the outside world. Establishing information centers, community learning centers and resource centers for communication, to educate the communities on social issues, and to introduce ICT to the communities. Creating of databases for easy access to information. Developing websites to publicize the activities of an organisation and to provide a link between the organisation and the public. Providing links between the countries universities and research institutions for easy access to research information. Using ICT to support the development of Ghana s emerging industrial sector. Using ICT to enhance government s policy management process and to strengthen Government to monitor development activities in the country. Using ICT to merge culture and development. Infrastructure development to improve the activities of an organization. s The scope of the project indicates whether the project is organizational, sectoral or national. If a project is organisational, it implies the implementing organization is the sole beneficiary of the project. A sectoral project supports a sector of the economy and a national project covers a number of organisations, or sectors of the economy. From Table below, most of the projects submitted are either sectoral; that is to support a particular sector of the economy, or national. There were fifteen sectoral projects and another fifteen of the projects are national projects. This represented 42.9% of the total number of projects received.
Beneficiaries No. of s Percentages Ministries 3 8.6% PSOs 15 42.9% Educational Institutions 15 42.9% NGOs and Communities 2 5.0% Stage of s From Table 3, and it is obvious that almost all the projects received are being fully implemented; this represents 88.6% of the projects. There are a few projects that are being implemented on Pilot basis. None of the Donor Supported projects are in the feasibility stage Most of the projects are at the full implementation stage because of the nature of the projects. Most of the projects are directly implemented hence no need for a feasibility or pilot implementation, example, networking of offices and designing a website. Beneficiaries No. of s Percentages 31 88.60% Pilot 4 11.40% Feasibility 0 0.00% Total 35 100% Conclusion The ICT related projects being supported by the donor agencies are aimed at improving the living standards of the people and to facilitate the dissemination of information from civil society groups to the public. Some of the projects are also aimed at improving the work of Government. The Donor and UN Agencies supported projects have a very wide coverage area. Most of the projects are either sectoral or national. In a similar survey of on-going ICT projects and initiatives in Government Ministries and some PSO, the ICT related projects that were named by the Ministries and PSO s are not the same as those that were submitted by the Donor and UN Agencies as the projects they are supporting. At the moment, over eighty million US Dollars (US$ 80m) is being spent on ICT related projects by the Donor and UN Agencies in Ghana.