Ghana’s Poor Data System Under Review

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Gidc Delegation
Ghana’s Poor Data System Under Review

GIDC and HSH Professionals invited 3 (Three) State Ministers to Germany.

By GidConsult

 

GIDC and its German partner HSH invited the State Ministers led by the Local Government Hon. Akwasi Opong Fosu to Germany on the 12th of October 2013. The invitation of the Ministers was as a result of the letter that the Diaspora professionals sent to the late President Evans Fifi Atta Mills in 2012 indicating their readiness to provide a technological solution to the ongoing e- government data problems facing the country. On receipt of the letter, the president swiftly directed Maj. Rtd. Dr. Ahmed Mustapha who was then the deputy minister for Environment Science and Technology (MEST), to invite the GIDC professionals to come to Ghana. The experts came to Ghana in 2012 to fulfil the promise they made to the late president.

The Ghanaian professionals are of the opinion that, when the government has the political Will to integrate this sophisticated integrated e-government data system, it would help maintain the requisite records and other pertinent information needed to formulate national policies, and to conduct fraudulent-free elections. During their presentation, the experts of GIDC realised the need to invite the 3 (Three) Ministers of State to come to Germany to see the software that their partner HSH Soft&Hardware company has developed for the German state institutions and other stakeholders themselves. The experts wanted them to acquaint themselves with functionalities of the German software.

Below is a picture of the Ghana Ministers, delegation of HSH and GIDC.

 

From the left: Hon. Julius Debrah (Greater Accra Minister), Joseph Osei Yeboah (Private), Hon. Eric Opoku (Ashanti Regional Minister), Mr. Phillip Bodenhausen (Manager of HSH Global South Africa), Hon. Akwasi Opong- Fosu MP (Head of Mission), Mr. Silbylle Tepper (BMZ), Mr. Stephan Hauber (Managing Director of HSH), Mr. George De-Souza (Rep. of Ghana Embassy Berlin), Rev. Prince Aidoo President of (GIDC) Germany. Missing in picture are Mr. Paul Hossou (General Secretary of GIDC) and Mr. Bert Lorenz (Technical consultant of HSH)
From the left: Hon. Julius Debrah (Greater Accra Minister), Joseph Osei Yeboah (Private), Hon. Eric Opoku (Ashanti Regional Minister), Mr. Phillip Bodenhausen (Manager of HSH Global South Africa), Hon. Akwasi Opong- Fosu MP (Head of Mission), Mr. Silbylle Tepper (BMZ), Mr. Stephan Hauber (Managing Director of HSH), Mr. George De-Souza (Rep. of Ghana Embassy Berlin), Rev. Prince Aidoo President of (GIDC) Germany. Missing in picture are Mr. Paul Hossou (General Secretary of GIDC) and Mr. Bert Lorenz (Technical consultant of HSH)

The Ghanaian delegation arrived on the 12.10.13 and departed on the 17.10.13 The Ghanaian delegation including HSH and GIDC delegation during the tour, assembled in front of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), headed by Mr. Siblylle Tepper. Mr. Siblylle Tepper in his address commended the Ghana delegation for the important step the Ghana government has taken to ensure that, Ghana gets a better data system that can help address the data problems facing the country. He also commended HSH and GIDC for their organisation and assured them that, his ministry will at all times cooperate with them when it comes to achieving such a laudable venture for Ghana. The Ghana delegation was received by the Consular General of the Ghana Embassy Mr. George De-Souza in the absence of the Ambassador His Excellency Paul King Aryene designated to Germany.

Mr. George De-Souza accompanied them to all the German state institutions that are using the Software built by HSH Soft&Hardware Company. The Ghana delegates also had the opportunity to visit sensitive areas such as the Federal Ministry of Interior, the German Printing Ministry, and the Ministry for the Registration of Foreigners and Nationals. The Ghana Ministers after the tour, the impression they had, was very high, and as such promised to invite HSH Software Company to Ghana to demonstrate the technicalities of the German Synchronized Identity Software they are proposing to Ghana. The German delegation including the GIDC president arrived in Ghana on the 31st of December 2013.

Before the arrival of the German delegation on the 01.12.13, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), in collaboration with the National Identity Authority (NIA) had already organized a Two-Day Identification Systems Management Workshop under the theme:

DEVELOPMENT OF A SYNCHRONIZED IDENTITY SYSTEM.

The government institutions and other stakeholders involved in Identity Management that took part of the workshop from the 2nd and 3rd December 2013 were as follows:

a)???? National Identification Authority (NIA),
b) National Information Technology Agency (NITA),
c) Social Security and National Insurance Trust Fund (SSNIT)
d) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)
e) The Electoral Commission (EC),
f) The Passport Office,
g) Ghana Statistical Service (GSS),
h) National Security,
i) National Communications Authority,
j) Ministry of Local Government & Local Government (MLGLG),
k) Ministry of Finance,
l) Local Government Service Secretariat.

b)???? The consensus arrived by all stakeholders at the meeting was the constitution of a Sector-Wide Working Committee to oversee the development of a Synchronized Identity System; a well-defined National Identity Registry of Persons and Businesses through a synchronised ID card.

As a result of the above, the Ministry of Local Government has constituted a Multi-Sectorial Technical Committee comprising of the above Organisations/Institutions to discuss the Action Plan as well as the implementation Process required for the successful Development of a Synchronized Identity System.

The International Development Consortium (GIDC) and HSH Software Company Germany, are of the hope that, the Local Government in collaboration with the elected Planning Committee ensure that, Ghana becomes the first country in the Southern Sahara to have this German Technology implemented.

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