BY HIZKEL HAILU
Governments now realize that e-governance is more than just floating government websites on the internet. In fact, e-governance is characterized as a process to simplify and improve democratic government and business aspects of governance through an application of electronic means in the interaction between citizens and government, businesses and government as well as in internal government operations.
E-governance represents a significant opportunity to move forward with qualitative, cost effective government services and a better relationship between citizens and government.
The active participation of the private sector and deployment of its resources, entrepreneurship and competence are keys to the implementation of the e-government program.
At the same time, the e-government program benefits the private sector as government services will be delivered faster and at a lower cost to the customers thereby resulting in a lower cost of doing business. This is likely to foster a symbiotic environment that would promote economic growth and sustainability of the e-government initiatives.
Information and communications technology (ICT) offers increased opportunities for economic development and plays a critical role in rapid economic change, in improving productivity, in enhancing the international competitiveness, etc for developing countries.
Opportunities and challenges of e-government in developing and developed countries have a similar nature, but the speed in maximizing the opportunities and in overcoming the challenges vary. In addition to that, the major challenge in one country is not always the same in another country, for example, cost-related challenges, leadership’s commitment to related challenges, etc.
Cognizant of this fact, the Government of Ethiopia has launched an electronic platform last year to enhance efficiency in trade logistics landscape of the country by speeding the customs process for importers and exporters.
As part of the government’s commitment to improving investment and trade, the Ethiopian Investment Commission has developed an online platform including electronic single window (eSW) for trade, said Mekonnen Haile, Communication Director for the Ethiopian Investment Commission.
This service enables investors to submit documents and receive electronic permits including investment licenses and other services through a single window. This significantly reduces the time and cost of investment, he noted.
According to him, rapid progress has been made in the administrative procedures through the implementation of e-governance, particularly in Ethiopia’s on-going reform in the service sector. In fact, e-governance has significant importance in facilitating the administrative procedures and increasing the efficiency of the service delivery system. This will indirectly have an impact on the country’s economic growth.
Noting that e-service is playing a significant role in improving the ease-of-doing-business and stimulating the economy, Mekonen added that the service will help to attract foreign investors as it will help them to access every data about Ethiopia without having to come here physically. He further underlined that the e-government will attract Foreign Direct Investment through facilitating interaction with international development partners in an online platform.
“Despite the global Covid-19, our office has been promoting the country’s investment opportunities that are available in Ethiopia through an online platform,” he further explained how significant e-governance. “The application updated technologies for our services has paramount importance in luring foreign currency to Ethiopia.”
Urging the global business leaders who met in Davos, Switzerland, for the annual World Economic Forum, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed (Ph.D.) told participants as Ethiopia is embarking on an overall economic and political reform, there is a favorable environment to invest in Ethiopia. He said that Ethiopia is undergoing significant institutional reforms to enhance the ease of doing business and increase its global competitiveness. He also briefed participants about the technological changes in Ethiopia that can reduce lengthy processes for investors.
He further stated that all operational industrial parks in the country have started delivering the e-governance service. Adama, Hawassa, Mekele, and Bole Lemi industrial parks are among them. The service has satisfied customers, employees and investors working in each industrial park.
“ICT in general, is helping to facilitate the countries’ economy. Therefore, it becomes essential to identify specific targets in Ethiopia where ICT can be successfully applied as a tool in curbing corruption and improving the quality of public services for citizens.
To increase civil service productivity, by dramatically cutting the time for the processing of information and regulatory implementation, and through the wide implementation of e-procurement Ethiopia spends one-tenth of its GDP every year on ICT” he noted.
Mekonnen Abera, Business Analyst at Integrated Nationwide Derash Platform division with the Information Network Security Agency (INSA) on his part remarked Derash, as part of e-service, is also believed to achieve a high level of service quality regarding government bill payments.
As to him, 15 banks, two microfinance institutions and some other public offices have started applying Derash electronic payment platform. Therefore, during the last two fiscal years of the pilot implementation phase, over ten billion Birr was collected through the Derash payment system.
Similarly, he said that currently, clients can manage their bills on mobile banking or using core banking at the nearest windows of any of the local banks in Ethiopia. Likewise, by just using Derash, service providers in Ethiopia are now able to collect their payments with secure data, less time and fair running cost.
Derash is an integrated bill aggregation platform that makes bills readily accessible to customers through a network of agents, enabling multiple payment modes, and providing instant confirmation of payment. It is built on top of open technology protocols and can seamlessly integrate with any billers and agents. It also consolidates different type of bill types into a unified bill data model that can be easily processed by agents through their preferred collection channels.
“Unlike products that are purely targeted to make a profit, the platform is developed to be a solution for the country and is targeted to improve government service provision in relation to bill collections by creating an integrated, efficient, organized, traceable, accountable and transparent payment system in the country,” he noted.
It also consolidates different type of bill types into a unified bill data model that can be easily processed by agents through their preferred collection channels. Furthermore, the platform has been pilot tested and its importance and functionality has been confirmed.
He further elucidated that e-governance involves the use of ICTs by government organizations for exchange of information with citizens, businesses or other government departments, faster and more efficient delivery of public services, improving internal efficiency, reducing costs, increasing revenue, and improving quality of services. This will totally help to increase the nation’s economy through delivering quality service.
As to him, e-governance is also vital to bring better access to information and better services for citizens. It also brings simplicity, efficiency and effectiveness and accountability of the public servants.
Speaking about its economic advantage, Mekonen stated that cost and time effectiveness of the e-service will help offices and the country as well. Since e-service provides the chance to go through all the details of service wherever they are located and whatever they required cost becomes minimized. It allows customers to compare goods and service they need to get with less cost and higher quality. The service provider can get competitive advantages over the competitors.
According to him, e-service has also a pivotal role in modernizing the banking industries. He said the banks as well as their respective customers achieve different benefits through applying the e-service technologies.
The Ethiopian Herald December 8/2020
