12 Feb 2014

Botswana will accelerate implementation of the e-government programme which is guided by e-Government Strategy of 2011-16, says the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Responding to a question in Parliament on Tuesday, February 11, Mr Masisi said outcomes of successful implementation of e-government would include resource optimisation, improved service delivery, integrated services and reduced maintenance and support costs.

“The first wave of positives will come towards end of this year where we will be launching the Botswana government portal with a lot of services to the populace. This will obviously have a ripple effect into the entire economy as people will have an array of channels for service delivery,” said the minister.

He listed the top five sectors projected to benefit most as tourism, health, education, information communication technology and transport. Minister Masisi noted that the value of business to be brought by e-government could not be explicitly quantified adding that e-government office would continue to comply with the Economic Diversification Drive such as the price preference scheme which would continue to factor into tenders.

He said it should be noted that government is the main enabler of the 16 national development plan goals, 14 of which are directly enabled by e-Government across socio-economic, administrative and security sectors.

MP for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele had asked the minister to state the positive impact brought by e-government roll out during the financial year 2013/14 and for the remainder of National Development Plan 10, as well as the top five sectors projected to benefit the most. ENDS