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By Edris Kisambira
The management arm of the Ministry of ICT, the National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U) has finally been instated. NITA-U a new government institution will be charged with handling sensitive aspects such as electronic governance, housing the National Data Centre and coordinating all IT activities in ministries and government agencies.
It already has a Board chaired by Ms. Betty Oyella Bigombe, a former state minister in charge of northern Uganda and was inaugurated and sworn in on August this year, at the Ministry of ICT in a meeting presided over by the Minister of ICT, Aggrey Awori.
The board was inaugurated following the passing of the law (NITAUganda Act 2009) that created the new agency assented to by President Yoweri Museveni on July 15, 2009 and the board of directors were approved by Cabinet on August 5, 2009.
NITA-U will be tasked with strategic planning to co-ordinate, promote and monitor IT developments within the context of social and national economic transformation.
NITA’s objectives include provision of high quality IT services to government. It will also promote standardization in the planning, acquisition, implementation, delivery, support and maintenance of IT equipment and services to ensure uniformity in quality, adequacy and reliability of IT usage throughout Uganda. It will work to provide guidance and coordination among providers and users of IT at national and local level to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure optimal utilization of scarce resources.
After the board was sworn in, Bigombe said she was honoured to be part of the team charged with modernizing the functions of government. The ICT sector is now regarded as key in the social economic development of Uganda.
As the governing body of NITA-U, the board will formulate policy guidelines for the Authority, monitor the implementation of its plans and programmes as well as approve annual budgets. Others are to determine the structure, staffing levels and appoint the staff of the Authority and to establish rules and procedures for the management of financial resources, human resources and assets of the Authority. The other members of the board are Prof. Patrick James Mangheni, Ms. Betty Kasimbazi, Mr. Kenneth Lubega and Mr. Kin Kaliisa Ibrahim. The executive director, who will also act as the secretary to the board is yet to be appointed.
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