As Ghana embarks on a
journey toward improved governance and public service delivery, the
conversation around centralized IT governance is gaining renewed attention.
Ethel Cofie recently sparked a debate with her proposal to establish a
Centralized IT Office within the Presidency, arguing that it could save the
nation $200–300 million annually while driving innovation, efficiency, and
transparency. However, Dorothy Gordon, former Chair at UNESCO’s Information for
All Programme, has brought a critical perspective to the table: the need to
reflect on existing institutions rather than reinvent the wheel.
Madam Gordon’s response highlights
the visionary foundation of Ghana’s National Information Technology Agency
(NITA), established in 2008 with the mandate to centralize and streamline IT
governance across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). She emphasizes
that the principles underpinning the current debate—eliminating redundancy,
scaling innovation, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing citizen
services—were core to NITA’s creation. What remains to be addressed is why
these objectives have not been fully realized.
NITA was designed as Ghana’s
nerve center for IT governance, with a mission to coordinate digital
transformation, ensure system integration, and drive e-government initiatives.
Over the years, international donors have invested millions in supporting its
mandate, recognizing its potential to transform public service delivery. Yet,
despite its ambitious vision, NITA has faced numerous challenges, including institutional
weakness, bureaucratic resistance, policy gaps and implementation and technological
gaps.
Instead of creating a new
office within the Presidency, Madam Gordon suggests that Ghana’s leadership should
focus on strengthening NITA and addressing the root causes of its challenges.
This approach would not only honor the investments and efforts of the past but
also build on the existing foundation to achieve the desired outcomes.
By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
