The Deputy Minister of Information, Madam Mamadi Ngobeh Kamara, has urged member states of the West Africa Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to develop a friendly digital policy and an effective regulatory environment to ensure access to digital services.
She made this statement on Wednesday July 22, 2020 when she delivered the Keynote address at the West Africa Internet Governance Forum Conference (WAIGF) that was held virtually due to the COVID 19 outbreak in the world.
The Deputy Minister explained that as government policy makers, they must develop people friendly policies and regulatory environments to ensure that all individual and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and skills to use digital services. She reiterated that they must develop policies to promote affordable and robust broadband internet service, access to devices, and also support the uptake of right skills.
Madam Kamara admitted that the IGF provides an excellent opportunity to bring together stakeholders in the region to discuss broad ranging internet issues and facilitate common understanding of how to maximize internet opportunities and address risks and challenges that might arise.
She disclosed that the President of Sierra Leone Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio has called fora scaling-up in the development of ICT/Telecom services to create a digital inclusive Sierra Leone and to transform the country’s economy to a digital one.
The Deputy Minister maintained that the government of Sierra Leone has developed an electronic compliance enforcement management system to support government policy on the removal of inter district lockdown as well as the reopening of the country’s international airport for regional and international travels as part of the implementation of an enhanced COVID 19 response regulations.
She admitted that despite the strides the government has made towards reforming the ICT sector, challenges still persist in dealing with the high cost and access to ICT/Telecom services, as well as connecting the remaining unconnected areas.
She described the theme of the conference: “Digital inclusion and access in West Africa in response to COVID-19”, as relevant at a time when governments and regional leaders are implementing measures like social distancing and other health related protocols to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
By Bampia James Bundu, Strategic Communication Unit, MIC
24/07/2020. 7873