By Millicent Senava Mannah
The Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation held a one day stakeholder engagement workshop on Thursday 9th November, 2023, at the New Brookfields Hotel, Jomo Kenyatta Road in Freetown to deliberate on the implementation of the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project which is a $50 Million Project that is funded by the World Bank.
In her address as the keynote speaker, the Minister of Communications Technology and Innovation, Madam Salima Bah, commended the World Bank for offering the grant and further extended gratitude to the Coordination Team for their hard work.
The Minister underscored that any country that does not prioritize technology could be equated to one that is 100 years backward, also emphasizing the importance of technology in every facet of life as well as revealing the establishment of a regulatory framework to address issues related to cybercrime and more pointing out how they are challenged with its implementation.
According to her, technology is very essential for the actualization of President’s Bio Big Five Game Changers adding that it will be utilized in the agricultural sector for enhancing the Feed Salone initiative by using drones for the purposes of surveillance, fertilization and so on.
The Minister informed that they will ensure that thorough sensitization is done right across the country on how to navigate technology in ways that will be beneficial also stating how they intend to introduce technology in primary schools for the younger folks to know the importance of it.`
She additionally intimated that technology provides lots of business opportunities that can create jobs for many people in the country making reference to the COVID-19 period during which she said lots of businesses emerged from using technology arguing that the world is taking a different stage in terms of digital transformation.
Salima Bah assured that the full fledge implementation of the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project will be next year.
A representative of the Minister of Finance, Simeon Jonjo, told the audience how the world is changing due to the emergence of Information Communications Technology (ICT) and digital transformation. He stated that 51.2% of the minimum population round the world is involved in using digital technology in their daily lives as well as acknowledging the roles their partners are playing further underscoring that the Project is to consolidate what has been achieved and at the same time develop digital governance.
The World Bank representative, Dr. Mensah, informed how digitalization is not just a luxury but a necessity further revealing that the project is to create a Sierra Leone where every citizen has a chance to strive in digital technology.
According to him, ICT is emerging lamenting that the country is ranked 131 out of 137 in terms of technology pinpointing the costs for digital services are quite high and somehow unaffordable.
