ICT to employ 3 million by 2020
Oct 04, 2014
UGANDA expects to create employment opportunities for three million people in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector by 2020
By Edward Anyoli
UGANDA expects to create employment opportunities for three million people in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector by 2020.
The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, John Nasasira, said in addition to employment opportunities, government revenue was expected to increase to sh600b annually.
He said what is needed now is providing support and an enabling environment to spur growth in the sector.
Nasasira made the remarks on Wednesday at a workshop at Serena Hotel in Kampala on the sector’s strategic investment plan. He said funding was expected to be supplemented by other sectors.
The minister predicted an increase in the country’s ICT development indices. He said the sector is expected to be more vibrant, with an enhanced legal and regulatory environment.
He noted that more citizens are expected to afford and access ICT services. In turn, it would spur social economic transformation to consolidate ICT development, he said.
“We, therefore, need to work together — the Government, academia and ICT industry — to create an ecosystem to foster transformation which will usher us into a knowledge-based economy,” Nasasira said.
The minister, however, noted that to achieve its objectives, the ICT sector would need a public investment amounting to sh200b per year.
Nasasira said different stakeholders, including the public and private sector, should contribute to ICT development.
Nasasira said his ministry, with other stakeholders, will first focus on areas that can lead to faster growth of ICT in the country.
Bunya County MP Vincent Bagiire urged the sector to check fraud in mobile money transactions.
Bagiire said many subscribers have been complaining of being defrauded.
He also said telecommunication companies are fleecing subscribers of their money in overcharged and dropped calls.
Stephen Mugoma, a lecturer at Uganda Christian University, Mukono, said the ICT curriculum needed a review to help and accommodate the different universities.
Mugoma noted that without a curriculum review, and a clear strategic academic plan, the sector would not achieve its intended purpose as far as education was concerned.
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