By Spy Uganda
National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) Executive Director Dr.Hatwib Mugasa has today unveiled the bigger achievements registered under the Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (RCIP) at an event held Sheraton hotel, Kampala on Wednesday.
Speaking about the key milestones NITA-U has registered, Dr Mugasa praised the World Bank, the main funder of the RCIP program.
”We’re here to celebrate the successful implementation of the Regional Communication Infrastructure Program (RCIP) across the different sectors of Government and we can’t thank enough the World Bank that has funded this mega project,” Mugasa said.
RCIP is organized into four components namely: Enabling Environment, Connectivity, E-Government and Project Management with a focus in Agriculture, Health, Education, and Justice, Law and Order Sector.
Mugasa says that through RCIP, ”NITA-U has registered significant progress over the 5-year period with a 100% project completion of all set project activities which include; Lowering of prices for international capacity. Reduction of the cost of internet Bandwidth for Government has reduced from 300 USD per Mbps per month in 2016 to 70 USD per Mbps per month which has translated into a competitive advantage.”
He noted that through RCIP, they developed a whole of Government System Integration Platform and so far, a total of 80 entities have been integrated onto this Integration Platform dubbed UG-HUB.
Mugasa actually says that NITA-Uganda through UG-Hub and other shared services, government has reduced operational costs in hosting services to 98%.
He further noted that through RCIP, NITA-U established the National CERT Coordination Center that is fully operational to enhance cybersecurity coordination for different stakeholders.
Infact, TheSpy Uganda learnt that the assessment against ISO/IEC 27001 was completed and the National Data Centre and the Disaster Recovery (DR) sites was certified against ISO/IEC27001:2013 Information Security Management System (ISMS)
”As part of the efforts to extend support to the Agricultural sector through RCIP, the Agro-Input Traceability System was developed with the Seed, Agro-Chemical and the Phytosanitary Modul,” Mugasa revealed more achievements.
Not only the above, but Government SMS/USSD Gateway has also been developed as a shared platform for dispatch bulk SMS by different Government ministries departments and agencies. This e-service had been provisioned to 32 MDAs utilizing a total of 22 services.
Further, Government Unified Messaging and Collaboration System (UMCS) has been provisioned to one hundred and twenty-eight (129) Government entities with a total number of twenty-three thousand fifty-six (23,056) users on-boarded onto the platform.
On her part, World Bank Country Manager Ms.Mukami Kariuki congratulated NITA-U on the successful implementation of RCIP program with a goal of transforming public service delivery in Uganda using ICT, in order to improve the lives of Ugandans.
She urged the government to build on RCIP gains to broaden use of digital platforms in extending services.
”ICTs & Innovation are critical for Uganda to achieve Vision 2040. Uganda ranks 84th on Global Digital Inclusive Report On the Inclusive Internet index, 4 or 5 Ugandans now live with in a broadband network,” said Ms Mukami adding; ”I’m here to re-affirm commitment from the World Bank to support Uganda’s digitization journey to further consolidate achievements of RCIP.”
Minister for ICT and National Guidance Chris Baryomunsi who was the guest speaker commended NITA-U Executive Director Dr.Hatwib Mugasa and entire team for the bigger achievements registered under RCIP.
The objectives of the RCIP are to support Uganda’s efforts to lower prices for international capacity and extend the geographic reach of broadband networks and improve the Government’s efficiency and transparency through e-Government applications.
”When you start a journey & finish successfully with such milestones you have a reason to celebrate, kudos NITA-U ED Dr.Hatwib Mugasa, Mr.Collin Babirukamu – Director e-Government Services and your team,” appreciated Baryomunsi who was a guest speaker at NITA-Uganda’s conference held at Sheraton hotel this morning under the theme; ”Harnessing Connectivity and 4IR As Driver For Social-economic Transformation.”
Baryomunsi revealed that NITA-Uganda is among the few committed agencies working tirelessly to transform the country digitally something he says is a booster of vision 2040 that is conceptualized around strengthening the fundamentals of the economy to harness the abundant opportunities around the country.
The honorable Minister noted that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a critical component that government is consciously harnessing for its robust benefits in Uganda’s Digital Agenda.
”Improving ICT is part of National Resistance Movement (NRM-ruling gov’t) ten point program and government agenda on digtizing Uganda,” said Baryomunsi adding, ”When you examine the instruments that government has put in place, you will find that ICT is instrumental and all our agendas speak to the fact about ICT (Third National Development Plan (NDPIII) and other strategic plans). ”
The National Development Plan (NDP) is the third in a series of six NDPs that will guide the nation in delivering the aspirations articulated in Uganda Vision 2040.
