ICT powerful to improve service delivery: Secretary

INFORMATION and Communications Technology (ICT) can be used as a powerful tool to improve service delivery, eliminate corruption, and grow the economy, an official says.
Secretary for the Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT) Steven Matainaho said in media statement that with a coordinated approach better ICT services could be delivered in the country.
“Last week, the PNG Department of ICT released the draft Digital Government Plan 2023-2027 which outlines a roadmap to digitise government-to-citizen, government-to-government, and government-to-business digital services, establish and maintain digital service standards, and complete broadband coverage to 90 per cent of the population by 2027,” he said.
“In line with this plan, we must start talking about consolidating individual ICT projects into one sector and delivering through a whole-of-government approach.”
Matainaho said that the PNG Department of Information and Communications and Technology would work with a whole-of-government approach to digitise and automate the entire public service by 2023.
“In the last two years, through the ministerial leadership MPs Rainbo Paita and Timothy Masiu, the PNG Department of ICT has worked towards establishing a mandate and enacting enforcement mechanisms for a digital government,” he said.
“The Digital Transformation Policy was endorsed in 2020 followed by the enactment of the Digital Government Act in 2022.
“This is our journey so far and 2023 must now be the year to accelerate in digitising our government,” Matainaho added.
The PNG Department of Information and Communications and Technology will be consulting closely with state central agencies and key stakeholders to continue this priority for digitising the nation.