The proficient pace maintained by the government in the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) would not only cut down unnecessary expenses, corruption and bureaucracy in public service delivery but also provide comprehensive, accurate and reliable information from government institutions.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam at the official launching of the Government Portal, www.tanzania.go.tz which is a single electronic window webenabled interface that provides access to public information and services in the country and abroad, the Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, said all government systems are linked to the convenience of the general public and there would be no excuse for underperformance among public service providers.
“The Tanzania Government Portal marks a successful step in the realisation of a long cherished vision to have an ideal one-stop platform for an integrated delivery of government information and services to citizens,” Pinda said.
Establishment of the National Optic Fiber which has reached nearly all regional headquarters, said the prime minister, was yet another landmark achievement that allows the country to keep pace with global technological advancement to the convenience of both citizens and visitors.
“Information about investment opportunities and procedures, for example, will be readily available from the Central Government Website. I commend the e-Government Agency for commendable job accomplished. We (government) must find a way to remunerate our technicians and make them serve the nation clean heartedly,” Pinda insisted.
Earlier, the Minister of State, President’s Office Public Service Management, Celina Kombani said the e-government portal was established in 2010 under her office with the domain name www.egov.go.tz. “In 2012 the portal was redesigned, developed and merged with the former national website www. tanzania.go.tz by the e – Government Agency (eGA).
The website is designed to provide easy access to all government information and services as a one stop centre,” Kombani explained. She said the government portal development was carried out in phases catering to the different target audiences and structured according to the activities and business of the government.
“The goal is to continue improving this Portal in terms of content coverage, design and technology on a regular basis,” she clarified. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of e-GA, Dr Jabir Bakari said wide range of information was available in the Government Portal.
“The website provides information on the people of Tanzania, culture, heritage, history national symbols, currency, speeches delivered by different prominent leaders and common sports among others,” Bakari said.
He named other areas of information which include the parliament, the constitution, rules and regulation guiding public service, government gazette, schemes of service, public servants welfare, defence and security, development programmes designed to help the people, annual budgets, statistical reports and e- Newsletters.
By BILHAM KIMATI, Tanzania Daily News