Africa-Press – Zambia. Technology and Science Minister, Felix Mutati, says there is a need for a mindset change in the civil service operations and service delivery in order to produce positive results.
Mr Mutati said people in the civil service should move away from just talking to the delivery of outputs if the country is to achieve the transformation to a digital economy.
During the launch of the Zambia Digital Economy Status Report 2022 in Lusaka today, Mr. Mutati said the country’s current digital skills, access, infrastructure and innovation levels are very low.
He has since committed that his ministry will ensure that there is digital transformation using a strategy that he termed the ‘5D digital transformation agenda’.
He named digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital financial services, digital skills and literacy and digital entrepreneurship and innovation as the five pillars of the digital transformation agenda.
Mr Mutati said inconsistencies and challenges in these areas will need to be addressed through collaboration among the government, the private sector and other collaborating partners.
“Let’s not work like typical civil servants where we are just engaging in conversations and not output. What is important are outputs, not the ability to provide reports on how we have done and what we are doing but when you look at the output it’s quite strange,” he said.
He added that, “We need a mindset change if we are going to achieve the transformation that we need to do. So these five pillars will now formulate our 5D strategy in digital transformation,” he said.
Mr. Mutati said lack of integration among telecom operators and government institutions is one of the biggest challenges faced in the country’s digital agenda.
The Minister has since called on all telecom operators, financial service providers and government institutions to work on integration of infrastructure and information management systems to create more effective systems such as the use of one digital ID that can be used to collect common data for all.
He further mentioned the lack of digital skills, entrepreneurship and literacy as another challenge in the digital agenda. Mr. Mutati therefore called for the revision of the school curriculum to accommodate digital entrepreneurship and innovation as foundations to attain a digital economy for the country and job creation.
“We have a challenge that the entire system of education is around engaging that Zambian who is now baked to go and seek employment. The component of entrepreneurship in the curriculum is absent. So we learn to work. So when we say we don’t have enough jobs, it’s because we have not designed our curriculum to be able to attend to those that are going to be entrepreneurs and create jobs,” he said
Meanwhile, United Nations (UN) Acting Resident Coordinator, Lionel Laurens, said the development of the report is timely as the world is increasingly going digital.
Mr. Laurens said this is critical in assisting countries to promote economic growth. He has thus hailed the government for its leadership and commitment to transforming the country into a digital economy.
He said the UN, through its various agencies, has been supporting the government’s efforts to grow digital economies through various innovative initiatives across different sectors.
He has further pledged the UN’s continued support to the government in its digital transformation journey. “Digital technology is critical in assisting countries promote economic growth, including supporting and accelerating progress on each of the 17 SDGs,” he stated.
The Zambia Inclusive Digital Economy Status Report 2022 assesses the status of the country’s digital economy and evaluates key constraints to the adoption and increased usage of digital technologies. It has been produced in partnership between government and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
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