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The Archivists and Records Managers Association of Ghana (ARMAG) has held a one-day training program on E-Records and Digital Archiving for Human Resource and other Information Management Related Personnel of various institutions on Wednesday, 29th September 2021 at the University of Ghana, Balme Library Seminar Room from 9am -2pm.

The programme was to update participants on best practices and current trends in record keeping and records management through a digitization system.

The training is aimed at equipping personnel with the requisite knowledge in order to be abreast of the current trends in management of information and records.

Participants were taken through the importance of records keeping and digitization to ensure that they play their part in preserving important documents in their various institutions.

Speaking to the President of the Association, Nicholas Dei-Kumi stated that “organizations/institutions generate information in carrying out their mandates in the form of records.

“These records need to be effectively managed right from their point of creation to disposition in order to ensure the security and availability of information when needed. To ensure effective management of these sources of information to organizations, professionally trained staff is employed to carry out this task. In this era of open government, open data, right to information laws and Data Protection Acts, the existence of such a body of professionals is very necessary. Therefore there is a need as a body to be abreast with the current trend in records keeping through digitization in our organization.”

He also stressed; “We live in a dynamic world where things keep changing therefore the need for this program. The association is willing to do everything possible for our members not to be left behind.”

According to him, when the system is properly implemented, no hacker can hack into the system to defraud anybody.

To him, digital archiving has so many benefits.

“It promotes and enhances confidentiality and accessibility in our organisation, Electronic document storage makes it possible for everyone to access the right documents at the right time. It’s easy to assign usage rights through the system and Easier document creation, formatting and storage gives everyone involved a chance to focus on the more important tasks at hand.”

ARMAG is the main national professional body in the field of information management in Ghana and can contact them on www.armaggh.org or call them for more information 0244134472.

The facilitators of the training programme, Dr. Edwin Tetteh, member of the Association, also averred that it is important for every organization to protect every information through modern technology and digitization.

He commended leadership of the country for promoting and protecting information through digitization and promised to do everything possible for their members as an Association.

Topic treated includes Digitization, Overview of e-Records and Digital Archives, Factors influencing e-Records and Digital Archives, Electronic Records Management Systems (ERMS), Implementation of e-Records Management Systems, Records Continuum Model, E-Records Management Structure and Setup, E-Records, Management Systems – Demo, Infominaitisation and Document Imaging Systems