The Government of Botswana took advantage of the ongoing 2012 ICT Pitso to launch an e-government project expected to offer prompt service delivery to the country’s estimated 2 million people.
The Botswana National e-Government Strategy 2011 to 2016 blueprint calls for the use of ICT and Internet facilities to offer public services.
The initiative is targeted at all government ministries and departments and is earmarked to improve the ICT infrastructure as the government marshals resources to implement the project.
The project will in addition increase the quality of public sector service, allowing all citizens to access government information and services irrespective of distance and time.
President of Botswana, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama said: “The national e-government strategy 2011 to 2016 is vital in stirring the country to development. Through ICT the government services to citizens would be fast and that’s what we want to do as highlighted in the road map of the plan.”
E-government’s board chairman and permanent secretary to the president of Botswana Eric Molale said the strategy will be implemented in all ministries.
The latest technology, business processes and organisational structures would lead to improved standards of services, he said.
The process has involved all the stakeholders in order to have the government system ready to spearhead socio-economic progress.
“Online service, government reaches out to people, and makes their lives simple. The process will lead to acceleration of our national ICT programme and result to, ongoing development and growth in Botswana,” the e-government board said in a statement.
The board says it welcomes interested stakeholders to give a broader perspective of ideas, enlightening the community on the importance of e-government services.
The Botswana ICT Pitso is an annual 2-day conference organised by the government to encourage development of innovative ideas that could lead to improved service delivery in all ministries.
This year’s forum, themed ‘Innovative service delivery through ICT’, ended Tuesday. It tackled issues including ICT and Women Empowerment, an analysis of existing ICT Legal and regulatory framework, the impact of cyber security on provision of e-services and the impact of privatisation, competition and regulation on the ICT Sector.
