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Workers to be controlled in use of government software

Workers to be controlled in use of government software

Public servants would be controlled in the use of ICT software procured by the government in downloading movies and other private social activities at their various workplaces soon.

These are part of wide-ranging operational improvement measures, as the government strives to ensure the digitisation of all sectors, the Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has stated.

She was speaking at a forum on IT organised by the ministry and it's agency, the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) in Accra on Monday (April 15, 2019).

The forum was on the theme: The new NITA and is line with provisions of the Electronic Transaction Act 2008 (Act 772) for continuous engagements with industry players.

Software

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said the government had negotiated software and hardware enterprise agreements with Microsoft, standardised desktops and the reduction of fake and pirated software in the system.

Student and teachers would also benefit from the Microsoft suites, which, according to the minister, was the most widely used in the country.

"This will help reduce the overall ICT budget of the government and improve network security

She said the same negotiations would be engaged in for Oracle and other software in regular use across ministries, departments and agencies.

"Please note that these tools are for official use only and not for downloading movies and other such private content. The requisite firewalls and other security features will be deployed to ensure it is kept that way," she stated.

The Acting Director General of NITA, Mr David Gyewu, while affirming the minister's statements on the controls, however said that some allowance in the provision would be made available for staff to use privately.

The main thing, however, was not to bog down government's network to impact negatively on efficiency and rapid business transactions.

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