Monrovia – The Ministry of Post and Telecommunication on Monday, August 20, concluded its final validation exercise for the draft national Information Communication Technology (ICT) policy for 2018 to 2022.
The ICT policy’s validation exercise, which took place, on the main campus of the University of Liberia, Capitol Hill brought together people from both the private and the public sectors, students including international partners.
With facilitators from the Alliance for Affordable Internet, an international organization; participants at the event brainstormed and gave their input on how the ICT policy can attract the various sectors in the country.
Speaking to journalists during the event, the Deputy Minister for Technical Service at the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication Prosper K. Browne said ICT plays a pivotal role in the country’s economy.
“We see how best we can transform this economy by ensuring that ICT plays a pivotal role,” Minister Browne said.
“What we intent to do as you are aware is to make sure that tomorrow when a child graduate from High School at least he or she must have some computer skills, he or she must have some ICT skills that can also provide some living for them.”
Looking at their thematic area in the national ICT policy the Deputy Minister says education, the issue of gender and also the people with disability are some the very key focus of the ICT policy.
Browne said: “The universal declaration speaks to the fact that everybody must have access to information communication technology. So those under-serve and unserved areas; we have to put them into our policy to make sure that we be able to touch all of those things.”
“We are now calling on all the stakeholders to make their input, after this; the next we will be going to cabinet and at the level of the cabinet, once the approval comes from that point then we will launch it fully.”
Despite some thematic areas were pointed out by Deputy Minister Browne, the vision and mission of the ICT policy are defined by three pillars.
The three pillars includes: structure, empower and transform will serve as a guide for development of cross sectoral policies as well as for a successful ITC sector.
It includes sector review mechanisms that emphasize accurate data gathering, benchmarked assessments, and dissemination through sector reports.
The policy also covers the role of private sector, civil society, development partners and the media in a multi stakeholder effect to achieve the set goals.
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