Botomani touts ICT as enabler for service delivery
Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology Mark Botomani says government is committed to ensuring that the country reaps from digital dividends.
The minister said this in Lilongwe on Monday during the commemoration of Internet Governance Forum under the theme One World, One Internet and One Vision.
Botomani said Malawi, as a member of the Southern Africa Development Community and Africa Union Internet Governance Forums, is geared to take information and communications technology (ICT) to another level as a priority area.
He said there are a number of reasons issues of Internet in the digital world, particularly Malawi, can enhance business.
Botomani said in the digital age where citizens undertake educational courses online, farmers access markets for their produce online and pregnant women get advisory services online, ICT needs to be embraced.
He said: “The now generation is an Internet generation; hence, government is committed to making sure that Malawi is not lagging behind on the global digital transformation agenda that is taking course.”
Botomani said issues of fake news, cyber-bullying and cybercrimes have to be looked into so that all players in different sectors work together to reduce the vices.
On his part, Malawi Internet Governance national coordinator Bram Fudzulani, who is also president of ICT Association of Malawi (Ictam), said there is need to improve Internet governance to create more opportunities in the country.
He said it is important that all stakeholders are engaged to contribute to the transformation of the digital world.
The meeting drew participants from government, private sector, civil society and the academia.
