Director-General’s Speech for NITA Breakfast Meeting
TALKING POINTS OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF SIGA ON THE BREAKFAST MEETING BETWEEN NITA, OFFICE OF HEAD OF CIVIL SERVICE, SIGA AND SPECIFIED ENTITIES AT ALISA HOTEL ACCRA ON 1ST AND 2ND NOVEMBER, 2022.
Ministers and Deputy Ministers
Head of the Civil Service
Ag. Director General, NITA
CEOs of Specified Entities
Heads of IT from Specified Entities
Distinguished Guests
Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
INTRODUCTION
I am very pleased to be addressing this gathering and particularly excited about the topic for discussion, Digitalisation (a favourite word of H. E. the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia). It is also a trending topic for businesses and transformational leaders across the world as we are moving towards a digitalised economy. Indeed, the world is expanding, our population is increasing but we are more connected now more than ever, thanks to technology.
As we all know the only constant is change and businesses who fail to change with the times would be left far behind. That is why the theme for this programme is apt and timely:
“Government Digitalisation Agenda: The role of the Public Sector”
WORKING SMART
Ghana is at the forefront of the digitalisation agenda in Africa, as our Minister for Communication and Digitalisation rallies Africa towards the benefits of digitalisation.
https://www.thepublisheronline.com/ursula-rallies-africa-leaders-champion-digitalization/
It has become increasing important for SoEs, JVCs and OSEs to work smart to become more efficient, profitable and productive. There is the need to employ technology to reduce wait times, offer a more effective customer service experience and enhance service delivery.
I will not pretend to be a computer expert but please permit me to draw your attention to these two terms that would dominate todays’ deliberations:
DIGITISATION AND DIGITALISATION
Digitisation describes the pure analog-to-digital conversion of existing data and documents. If you think of scanning a photograph or converting a paper report to a PDF you are thinking digitisation.
Digitalization the experts will tell you goes beyond digitization, leveraging digital information technology to entirely transform business’ processes. It is the connection between the physical world and software
MANDATE OF SIGA
As you are well aware the mandate of SIGA is to ensure efficiency, good corporate governance and where applicable profitability of our Specified Entities. For that matter any initiative that seeks to inject efficiency to the operations of SEs is wholly welcomed by SIGA.
Through digitalisation, SSNIT is reported to have saved GHC 320 million after deleting ghost names from its system. https://citinewsroom.com/2022/07/ssnit-saves-ghana-over-gh%C2%A2320m-after-clearing-ghost-names-on-pension-roll/
The Controller and Accountant General is also reported to have made huge saving through its digitalisation drive.
https://www.theghanareport.com/7000-ghost-names-removed-from-govt-payroll/
Digitalisation provides amongst others the following benefits:
- Data Safety
- Data Security
- Simplification
- Visibility
- Mobility (Remote Working)
- Lower Operation Cost
- Increased Productivity
- Improved Compliance regimes and its outcomes
- Real time access to records and data
- Enhances systems audit
SIGA in partnership with NITA is driving this agenda and urging all Specified Entities to come on board with us on this journey. In this regard we will introduce a digitalisation KPI into the Annual Performance Contract and ensure that carries significant weight.
The award-winning Digital tool, the Smart Workplace introduced by the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation and NITA in collaboration with eSolutions Consulting is making serious waves in the MDAs that have adopted it. I am happy to inform you that at SIGA it has become part of our culture and the benefits are enormous.
SIGA and NITA are ever ready to provide consultancy services to Entities that need to setup their Information Technology Platforms to get you started.
Thank you very much and have a fruitful discussion.