Ghana 2008 budget- ICT highlights

1.Excise Tax on Mobile Phone Airtime
Government has decided to abolish import duty and import VAT on all mobile phones imported into the country and introduced a more effective means of taxing mobile phone usage. Consequently, Government proposes to impose a specific excise duty per minute of airtime use.

2. National Switch and Biometric Smartcard Project
The Bank of Ghana is establishing a National Switch, the E-ZWICH, to allow the establishment of a common platform for all payments transactions, both on-line and off-line, in the country. Associated with the E-ZWICH is a biometric smartcard that eliminates the need to have basic literacy and numeracy to operate a bank account since it relies on the identification features of finger prints. The E-ZWICH is a major vehicle for financial inclusion. The smartcard can also be used for payment of wages to workers on the government payroll. The use of the biometric identification system will remove ghost workers on the public payroll. The National Switch and smartcard project would serve as the vehicle to transform Ghana from a predominantly cash economy to one dominated by electronic transactions using modern state of the art technology.

3. the National Communication Authority (NCA) will in the course of the year, issue 3G mobile license
4. Under Govt Assisted PC Programme  (GAPP), it is projected that 40,000 more PCs will be supplied to beneficiaries.

5. NCA to develop modalities for allocation of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX)

6. A number of institutions including Domain Name Registry will be set up in this regard.


see Ministry of Communication sector  below :
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
658. Mr. Speaker, MOC is facilitating the vision of government to develop policies and programmes to transform Ghana into a
country with sufficient, efficient, cost effective and accessible  communications infrastructure to propel appropriate technological
applications and innovations to enhance socio-economic development

Performance in 2007
659. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry in pursuant of its mandate monitored the increase in telephone penetration from 20 per cent in 2006 to
30 per cent in 2007 as planned. It also pursued the privatisation of Ghana Telecom (GT) which is in progress and that of WESTEL
which is completed.
National Fibre Communications Backbone Infrastructure
660. Mr. Speaker, to complement the efforts of the private sector in the extension of affordable and efficient connectivity solutions, the
Ministry pursued the development of the National Fibre Communications Backbone Infrastructure network to provide open
access broadband connectivity.
661. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry under the Backbone Infrastructure
Network undertook survey and design of the various sites, procured and delivered equipment, constructed and commissioned
Achimota distribution site, commenced laying of pipes for Buipe-Tamale, Akosombo-Ho and Kumasi-Obuasi and laid over 492 km
of fibre cable.
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Promotion of Competitive Telecom Market
662. Mr. Speaker, to promote the deployment of affordable wireless broadband access, the National Communications Authority (NCA)
commenced the development of modalities for allocation of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) service
deployment to benefit all the major telecom sector players. This intervention is aimed at encouraging the private telecom service
providers to further plan their infrastructure deployment and invest in a strategic manner and also improve access and quality
of service. In response to this intervention by the NCA, all the telecom sector players have launched challenging expansion
programmes.
The eGhana Project
663. Mr. Speaker, under the eGhana project the Ministry developed certification and standardization procedures related to human
resource capacity in Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES). It also developed investment promotion and support
mechanisms to attract and retain investors in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and ITES businesses.
IT/IM Career Classification
664. Mr. Speaker, MOC with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has commenced the
consultation process for the development of a Scheme of Service to define job content, career paths and appropriate remuneration
packages for professional ICT/IM personnel. This is to facilitate their engagement in the civil/public service.
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Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL)
665. Mr. Speaker, GIFTEL, set up to facilitate the extension of communications services to underserved and unserved areas
through the provision of common facilities has undertook the common telecom tower service facility at Nandom (U/West) which
is now offering transmission coverage to over 10 towns including Lambushie, Boe, Burutu, Piiri, Basabli, Yipele, Naapal, Pofiem,
Napaali, and Gengenkpe. A similar facility at Fetentaa is also serving over 12 towns in the locality and another at the towers at
Bibiaraneha and Atuna have also been completed.

Community Information Centres (CICs)
666. Mr. Speaker, in furtherance of the commitment of the Ministry to use the medium of ICT to promote an all-inclusive information
and knowledge society to benefit under served and rural areas, the CIC concept has been developed. To date 92 CICs out of the
projected 230 CICs have been constructed. Ghana Post has upgraded over 50 Postal Agencies to Post Offices and will connect
those centres to ICT to make them learning centres in addition to providing universal postal services.
Government Assisted PC Programme (GAPP)
667. Mr. Speaker, GAPP under the iAdvance Computer4All project has sold 10,000 units of computers to the public, private and
educational institutions and individuals to increase the availability and usage of computers in the country. It was also intended to
encourage local entrepreneurial assembling of personal computers.
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Broadband4U
668. Mr. Speaker, GT has extended broadband Internet services using copper to Kumasi and its environs, Obuasi, Cape Coast,
Akosombo, Koforidua, Gbawe, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Wa, Ho, Takoradi and Tarkwa. Wireless technology has been used to
provide additional broadband internet capacity for Labone, Spintex Area and Weija in the Greater Accra area.
669. Mr. Speaker, under the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory
Commission (PCSRC) the policies, guidelines, rules and regulations for carrying out postal and courier business were drafted and
reviewed with stakeholder participation. Also 50 firms operating postal/courier services have been registered under the regulatory
framework to ensure high-level performance. Ghana Post is also being monitored in its usage of exclusive license for the provision
of reserved postal services in Ghana which is aimed at ensuring that basic postal services are provided at prices, which are
affordable for all segments of the population.

670. Mr. Speaker, in addition, education exercises to encourage all the identified courier companies to regularise their operations has
been undertaken. The provision of inputs to facilitate the clear definition of National Postal Policy, modernize and develop the
postal sector, ensure universal access to postal services, promote new service development and strengthen the role of the postal
sector as an instrument of economic and social development in the era of ICT has been pursued.

ICT Business Incubator
671. Mr. Speaker, the centre supported the establishment of WiceNet Ghana Limited to provide through the primary medium of
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television, data, video and audio/voice services. Currently, the company has deployed to 4 hotels, namely; La Palm Royal Beach,
Cocoa Beach Hotel, Shangri La Hotel and the Dutch Hotel. Tripod Global Ventures (Jobweb), Makana Technologies Limited and IDZ
Ghana Limited to provide online recruitment, develop a vehicle tracking system and operate an online advertising/events listing
media website, respectively has been established.

672. Mr. Speaker, CBB Ghana Limited has developed a product tracking, scanning and identification of objects using Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) with the support of the centre. Real IT Solutions a tenant-company of the GMIC, has also
developed science educational software being tested with support from the centre.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Training
673. Mr. Speaker, Ministry in collaboration with the Ghana
Telecommunications University College trained 30 Call Centre and Data Entry Clerks. The Ministry also collaborated with the Ministry
of Information and National Orientation (MINO) and the Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL) in the
provision of training of 22 information officers from various districts under the Community Information Centre initiative.
Currently, over 200 Call Centre and Data Entry operators have received training.

Science and Technology Park
674. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry is facilitating the establishment of a Science and Technology Park at the Institute of Industrial
Research (IIR) to support emerging technologies. MOC formulated a master Plan for the park, collected and compiled
data relevant to science and technology, economics, and
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infrastructure in Ghana and submitted the second draft report in June. It is currently, updating the final draft to ensure
commencement of actual implementation by the close of 2007.

Outlook for 2008
675. Mr. Speaker, MOC will pursue the policy to develop nationwide communications and technology infrastructure backbone and
services to ensure that the first phase of the national fibre optic infrastructure backbone project covering the laying of fibre optic
cable to Tamale, which is to be completed by Huawei Technologies by December 2007 will become functional.

676. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry will also facilitate the operationalisation and the setting up of the National Fibre Backbone Company
Limited to help in the management of the national fibre backbone facility as a commercially viable business. It will further pursue
the actualisation of the second phase of the fibre backbone and egovernment project which will go beyond Tamale to the
northernmost borders.
677. Mr. Speaker, the output from the delivery of this project should see the attainment of the major objective of ensuring the
provision of adequate and affordable bandwidth throughout the country under an open access management model to benefit the
wider private sector.
678. Mr. Speaker, GIFTEL will construct additional common masts facilities in 29 towns. It is estimated that a total of 44 common
telecommunications facilities will be provided across the country. The Ministry in collaboration with the Ministries of Information and
National Orientation, Local Government, Rural Development and Environment and the District Assemblies will sustain the CIC
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Programme. Under GAPP, it is projected that 40,000 more PCs will be supplied to beneficiaries.

Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA)
679. Mr. Speaker, SADIS 2nd Generation equipment installed at the Accra Airport office will facilitate the reading of wind speed and
direction as well as temperature at different levels in the atmosphere, significant weather charts and aerodrome forecasts
and warnings for airports around the world.

Business Process Outsourcing training (BPO training)
680. Mr. Speaker, the Ministry in collaboration with the BPO Training outfit will train additional 300 Centre and Data Entry operators.
The outfit will also continue with its collaboration with the Ghana Telecommunications University College.

681. Mr. Speaker, Tripod Global Ventures, IDZ Ghana Limited and CBB Business Limited will start commercialization of their products.
These companies would move from staff strength of 3 each to approximately 6 each.


Technology Park
682. Mr. Speaker, the Technology Park Project to be located within the Free Zone enclave is to house ICT/IT enabled companies. The
Request For Proposals (RFP) from the short listed companies will be sought to facilitate the commencement of work.

eGhana
683. Mr. Speaker, in the area of e-governance that is aimed at employing e-government applications to contribute to improved
efficiency and transparency of Government functions, the Ministry
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will procure the services of an international consultant to conclude feasibility studies on the PPP approach for the provision of egovernment
services in IRS and VAT service, DVLA, RGD and LTR. It is expected that the IRS nationwide digitalisation will enhance
the collection of both individual and cooperate taxes.

684. In addition, a government-wide network will be installed to connect about 64 different MDAs to enable better sharing of
information as well as improve coordination across government agencies. A data centre and national portal will be established
which will facilitate generation of revenue through levy of transaction fees and training in the use of these facilities will be
provided to CIOs, Legislators, the Judiciary, civil servants and technical staff who will manage the facilities.

685. Mr. Speaker, the passage of the National Information Technology
Agency (NITA) bill in due course will give the needed legal backing to implement a number of revenue generation initiatives
contained in the Electronic Transactions Bill. A number of institutions including Domain Name Registry will be set up in this
regard.

Government Network (GovNet)
686. Mr. Speaker, GICTeD will design and develop a Government Network called GovNet to connect 22 Ministries and 42 Agencies
to support transparent communication. This will improve access to government services by citizens, businesses and other
governmental agencies.

Interoperability of Networks
687. Mr. Speaker, GICTeD will ensure that all networks talk to each other and ensure cohesive systems in content management,
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electronic messaging and collaboration, documents and record management, correspondence management, and workflow
management that will be deployed under the government gateway project with the support of the MINO. This will lead to
the systematic development of MDAs information and transaction activities online in a progressive and competitive manner. GICTeD
will effect the interoperation of networks under the eGhana.

688. Mr. Speaker, to make improved telecommunication technology available to local users, the National Communication Authority
(NCA) will in the course of the year, issue 3G mobile licenses.
689. Mr. Speaker, for the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH¢18,518,487 has been allocated. Out of this, GOG
is GH¢5,815,274, IGF is GH¢644,000, Donor is GH¢9,059,213 and HIPC is GH¢3,000,000.