<<Print>>

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications, on Tuesday said government has identified Information Communication and Technology (ICT) applications as key to accelerating socio-economic growth. Government has therefore adopted the ICT-led Socio-Economic Policy Accelerated Development, which revolves around the development and enhancement of the nation�s human resource base, the continued rejuvenation of the private sector and the entrenchment of good governance, he said. Dr Omane Boamah stated in a speech read on his behalf at the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) Global Summit in Accra, which seeks to serve as a platform to discuss the future for newly available spectrum. The Summit is being organized by DSA in partnership with the National Communication Authority (NCA). The two-day summit is being attended by participants from across the globe and will emphasize on the exploration of dynamic spectrum access technologies, business models and regulations, which are pertinent to Africa. Dr Omane Boamah said as consumers are growing more and more dependent on the internet as a means of communication, and as a link to other resources for everyday life, ICT was therefore the greatest catalyst for change and could result in economic, health, educational and social changes amongst a host of others. �In this regard, we should take a look at the comprehensive nature of ICT and focus on those aspects which can contribute to this desired change. �Having the equipment and other technology is vital, but we have to truly consider the other variable such as content and access to content,� the Minister noted. The Communications Minister however said in the area of content, Microsoft and Google had taken the lead in embarking on trails in countries to prove that TV White Spaces could result in a wider and subsidized or sometimes even free access to the internet and could be truly a catalyst for change. �It is gratifying to note that TV White Spaces can lead to a drastic reduction in the cost of accessing the internet,� he said. Dr Omane Boamah stated that Ghana is excited about the possibility that educational institutions and students could access vast resources from the internet which would change their minds, encourage them to think beyond their physical and geographic environment and learn from their counterparts from other parts of the globe. �Yes we are excited about the possibility that consumers in the rural areas, including farmers, fisher folk, can through community training access aids and information to communicate directly to buyers, access simplified aids, which need to improve farms, increase harvest, and improve storage of their produce amongst others,� he said. He therefore said government recognised the need for universal access and would therefore collaborate with agencies like the NCA, National Information Technology Agency (NITA), and Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) to explore all opportunities to ensure that the right technologies were implemented to obtain set out objectives. Professor H. Nwana, DSA Executive Director, said the Alliance Mission was to expand dynamic and opportunities access to unused radio spectrum with the main focus on policy and regulatory advocacy. �By expanding opportunities for dynamic spectrum access technologies and techniques, regulators will better ensure that consumers and their devices have wireless bandwidth when and where they need it,� he said. This would in turn increase the amount of available wireless bandwidth and reduce its cost, effectively lowering barriers to entry and increasing innovation in business models and in technology. He said Africa and emerging economies need the technology to improve their economies as �it is good for regulators, good for competition, good for entrepreneurs and for consumers.� "Progress on universal access is being made within Africa and around the world, however we need to achieve much in order to meet the surge on data demand and the availability of spectrum," Prof Nwana said. He noted that the main constraints to DSA were policy and regulations and that needed to be tackled by governments and stakeholders in the telecommunications industry to ensure that the one billion African people with its 70 per cent rural dwellers scattered in Africa get access to technologies. The DSA Summit will contribute towards creating regulatory guidelines and standards for radio spectrum and will act as a catalyst in building relationships and nurturing initiatives, whilst driving global efforts to better the use of limited frequencies. Dynamic spectrum access describes a family of emerging wireless technologies that can use radio frequencies more efficiently, thereby increasing the availability and reducing the cost of wireless bandwidth. Ghana's support for the Global Summit demonstrates recognition of the need to innovatively increase spectrum supply and availability within the region, with the aim of creating new opportunities in the areas of education, healthcare, e-government, small business empowerment, and social inclusion. The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance is a global organization, advocating for laws and regulations that will lead to more efficient and effective spectrum utilization. The DSA's membership spans multinationals, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and academic, research, and other organizations from around the world, all working to create innovative solutions that will increase the amount of available spectrum to the benefit of consumers and businesses alike.