Malawians urged to embrace ICT as enabler for service delivery

Government has urged Malawians to embrace the cross-cutting influence of information and communication technology (ICT) as an enabler for service delivery and also to examine how internet is governed to ensure maximum reaping of the digital dividends.

Speaking during the opening of internet governance forum on Monday, the Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology, Mark Botomani, described the internet as a great motor for the future of humankind and its social and economic development.

Botomani said this is why, as a country, Malawi must participate at both the regional and global forum by voicing our agenda in the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance.

Malawi commemorated the 2019 Internet Government Forum under the theme One World, One Internet and One Vision”.

Under the Southern Africa and the Africa Union Internet Governance Forums, each member state is mandated to hold its own forum annually.

“There are numerous reasons why, as a country, we must take such forums serious among which is the digital revolution that is changing how we do business. This forum therefore, I am confident, will help us, as a country; to tackle critical issues that will influence policy change in as far as the governance of the internet is concerned here in Malawi,” narrated Botomani.

The minister said such forums have the potential to birth out digital solutions and ideas to challenges affecting the citizens even at the grass-root levels.

Botomani also hailed this year’s theme, saying it is enlightening in the sense that since time memorial, the message of togetherness, globalization and one village was labelled central and key to be preached.

He said internet is one of the powerful tools that can be used to bridge the geographical, social and economic divides in the society.

Botomani observed that the digital age has made life easy as citizens can now undertake educational courses online while famers access markets for their produce online as pregnant women can get health advisory services without going in person to various hospital just to mention.

He commended President Peter Mutharika for  “demonstrating zeal, commitment and political will£ in making sure that Malawi is not lagging behind subject to the global Digital Transformation Agenda that is taking course.

“The said zeal and commitment of His Excellency, the President has been depicted by among other things including ICT as a priority Area in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III, the on-going implementation of the Digital Foundations Project and the Last mile rural Connectivity Projects,” said the minister.

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