E-governance to improve service delivery in government

An employee enters data into a computer for future reference. With e-governance, government ministries will be required to store data electronically rather than using hard copies as has been the case. PHOTO BY FAISWAL KASIRYE 

By  Stephen Otage

Civil servants’ work is set to improve following the introduction of a new e-governance infrastructure.

Commissioned by the National Information Technology Authority (NITA), the system is aimed at guiding government ministries, departments and agencies while implementing projects.

The Information Technology project management methodology lists out the governance structures which the implementing institutions should have in place before undertaking any project.

The ministries are required to justify why such projects should be implemented, the expected outcomes, the project’s planning processes and compile project reports to ease decisions making.

Mr James Saaka, the executive director NITA-U, last week said the authority came up with this system basing on government research and analyses from failed information technology projects now termed as “white elephants” where lots of money has been injected.

Mr Saaka said when implemented, the methodology would enforce the establishment and application of structured processes, procedures and practices to ensure consistency in design, execution and governance of projects in ministries, departments and agencies.

“The methodology joins a number of other public sector reform programmes and change management initiatives whose performance has been characterised by varying degrees of success. They include the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets, result oriented management practices and integrated financial management systems,” he said.

Centralised data base


The system, among others, he said, will also reduce the duplication of services among government institutions because it will develop a centralised data base which the institutions will want to use from time to time therefore minimising wastage of resources.

“Look at banks, the National Social Security Fund, Immigrations passport control, the recent Sim Card registration, national ID project, the national census… All these need to identify the citizens but how can they without a national databank? This forces these institutions to carry out their out identification programmes because some institutions have gone ahead faster than others,” he said.

He said the methodology does not require any changes because all projects that require computerised systems to store and process data have standard operational standards.