Private sector urged to support ICT projects

businesses to support and fund ICT research, development programmes and centres.
The symposium, hosted by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with ICT firms – Twenty Third Century Systems and Africom – was running under the theme “Embracing ICT for business growth”.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology Engineer Sam Kundishora urged players in the private sector to facilitate the establishment of ICT infrastructure.
“As a ministry we are struggling to establish communication infrastructure and it is our desire to create a communication national backbone.
“There is need for local people and businesses to develop interest and desire to support local ICT products. We need to trust and promote our own efforts,” he said.
Engineer Kundishora encouraged key players in the communication services sector such as Telecel, Econet and TelOne to collaborate and share infrastructure for the purpose of maximising utilisation.
He said that shortage of energy in the country is also posing a challenge in the growth of the sector.
His ministry is currently spearheading a review of the ICT policy, a factor that has been necessitated by technological advancements.
“The 2007 ICT policy currently in place is now due for review. This follows the realisation that the current one has been overtaken by events due to dynamism of ICTs,” he said.
“The new policy should be out before the end of the year.”
In his presentation Afrosoft managing director Engineer John Mberi said there is need for the Government to formulate an enabling policy that will help unleash digital technology within the society.
“We must focus on developing our human intellect and Government must put up a big budget for the development of Research and Development (R&D) centres.
“The past ten years of economic stagnation erased local business competitiveness creating a unique socio-economic order needing re-engineering at all levels with latest technologies for relevance in the new global village,” he said.