Author: HILDA MHAGAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: PERMANENT Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications, Dr Zainab Chaula, urged ministry experts and the ICT Commission to start coordinating preparations for a Tanzania digital strategy.
She made the call in Dar es Salaam yesterday, while closing the fourth Tanzania annual ICT conference 2020 (TAIC).
“All of the issues discussed in TAIC require a digital strategy. Therefore, participants and other stakeholders should actively participate in the preparations of the strategy,” she said.
Dr Chaula further said a national digital strategy created a framework for using digital skills to bring about a more integrated government, one that focused on linking people from the centre to the periphery.
She said discussions at the conference focused on current developments around the world and the benefits and opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution in Tanzania.
This is because Tanzania continues building an industrial economy that requires ICT on a large-scale.
To registered ICT professionals, she said they need to explore new developments in the sector occurring every day and adhere to the rules of their profession and consider national interests.
“In this forum, the registration of ICT professionals was launched and 100 received their certificates. I know there are 180 others who have met the criteria and are yet to receive their certificates. So, it will make 280 registered professionals in 32 different areas,” she explained.
The PS encourages all ICT professionals in the country to register so that they can be recognised and benefit from the government’s capacity building programme.
She said the government had created an enabling environment for the transition to a digital economy. These efforts include connecting all regions to the National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) by 94 per cent.
As a result, the telecommunications sector has contributed to the economy of individuals by connecting them to various economic and social services, including health and government payments.
Acting Director General for Tanzanians ICT Commission, Samson Mwela said during the conference they discussed digital strategy, innovation, the transformation of a digital economy and digital skills.
“We have seen that in Tanzania there are different types of digital skills required for our ICT professionals to be able to participate effectively in industrial and economic development, things like artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing,” he said.
A three-day conference brought together more than 500 participants.
The theme was ‘Towards the 4th Industrial Revolution’ and the conference was organised by the ICT Commission to bring together stakeholders, including academia, researchers, development partners, the youth in digital innovation and ICT practitioners.
Earlier, Mwanza Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Emmanuel Tututba said the TAIC needs to start involving professionals from district level to be able to bring together all ICT professionals in the country.
“There have been several challenges for ICT professionals working in the public sector, including insecurity,” he said.
Mr Tutuba said as the nation depended on ICT to attain development, ICT professionals need to be supported from the district level and be given a chance to showcase what they have.
