Airtel Business has partnered the Annual New Year School as lead sponsors of this year’s programme held at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana.
The programme now in its 66th year has as its theme “Improving the Performance of the Local Government System in the Era of Electronic –Governance.”
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey said, the focus of this year’s Annual New Year School is on the application of e-resources and ICT for promoting growth and development in local governance for national development. He reiterated the concern on how best web-based solutions can solve the current challenges in the country with respect to governance. He indicated Airtel Business’ commitment to the New Year school over a 5 year Memorandum of Understanding signed to support this course.
The Managing Director of Airtel Ghana, Lucy Quist said Airtel Business was proud to be associated with this year’s process which has become an important national institution that has over the years provided a platform for the sharing ideas on pertinent issues of national and international interest.
She reiterated that in the 21st century, ICT has revolutionized how we do things at the workplace, social settings and in commerce, making transactions simple and convenient. “We at Airtel have been instrumental in leading this change at all levels and we are confident that e-governance will help solve the many administrative challenges to facilitate decision making in local governance”.
She emphasized on how helpful Airtel Money was during the peak period of the Ebola Virus in parts of West Africa. People stayed in the comfort of their homes to send money, make payments, buy goods etc. without physical contact with outsiders and thereby reducing the risk factors associated with the virus.
E-governance has become an accepted paradigm shift involving the use of ICT to providing information speedily to all citizens, and thereby bringing about administrative efficiency.
Quite obviously, therefore, the objective of achieving e-governance goes far beyond mere computerization of back office operations. It means to fundamentally change how Government operates and this implies a new set of responsibilities for the executive, legislature and the citizenry she stressed.
She reiterated further that Airtel has a portfolio of tailor made business solutions managed by Airtel Business, Airtel’s exclusive business focused division. These tailor – made ICT solutions assist in transforming individuals and businesses, no matter the size of the enterprise.
As the lead sponsors of the Annual New Year School, Airtel Business will also be providing participants at the conference with free Wi-Fi.
The Annual New Year School, since its inception in 1949, has been the platform and a place where many Ghanaians of all walks of life have congregated and learnt a lot about national affairs.
The objectives of the School and Conference, among others are to provide the platform for sharing of information and lessons among policy-makers on how to create strong, institutional collaboration to meet the objectives of the ICT4AD National Policy and the ICT in Education Policy.
African Eye News.com
