Speaker advocates for Paperless Parliament
The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has advocated the Legislature go Paperless to speed up House proceedings and facilitate record keeping.
Prof Oquaye made the disclosure in his address at the launch of the 2019 Africa Security and Safety (ASAS) Awards, Conference and Expo in Accra.
“The launch of the Digital Addressing Project for the Ghana Post, the Electronic Certificate Project for the Registrar General’s Department, Paperless Port Project, and in fact, in Parliament we are looking forward to a Paperless Parliament; the National Identification Project, all these clearly demonstrate how the private and public sectors, including the security agencies can work together in a congenial environment to develop products and services that would help promote Ghana’s developmental agenda,” he said.
“We know from our traditional system that in Twi (Akan), they describe fraud as “Nyansa krono” (stealing wisely) and this is exactly where the world is leading to today.”
He noted that “security agencies must be wiser than the wisest of all criminals, smarter than the smartest of all criminals in order to keep our society safe.
“It is therefore, anticipated that all, including the private sector, will collaborate with Government to roll-out this programme in the security and ICT sectors.”
The 2019 ASAS Awards, Conference and Expo on the theme “Advancing Africa Through Security and Safety Technology was launched by Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, the Speaker of Parliament.
The Award, which is slated for May, is being organised under the auspices of the African Union (AU) with support from the Government.
It is a major continental reference event for operators in the security and safety industry.
The 2019 Awards provides a platform for recognizing individuals and organisations that have played a leading role in the development of the security and safety sector while recognizing the highest standards.
Prof Oquaye said the ASAS Conference and Expo Awards would definitely bring to Ghana in the next few months, regional leaders from various countries, companies and private and international sector players to reflect on emerging security threats, identify solutions, share knowledge and promote investment; adding that “definitely this is most welcome”.
“We trust that the efforts of Government’s vision towards the ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’, can best be achieved if we have a Ghana that is peaceful and also prosperous. And in this day and age, this can best be achieved by the path you are pursuing.”
He said ICT was a major force multiplier in our security and law enforcement environment.
Prof Oquaye, who commended the Centre for Strategic and Defence Studies (CSDS) Africa, for this bold initiative of organising the event and further pledged the full support of Government, Parliament and other institutional bodies towards holding the event successfully.
He also encouraged institutions to not only sponsor the event, but to participate actively in the Awards, Conferences and Expo.
“Again, political stability and economic development in the African continent cannot be achieved without the deployment of security and safety technologies,” he stated.
Mr Thomas Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission, in a speech read on his behalf, noted that, the promotion of peace and security was one of the foremost preoccupations of the African Union, as it forms the important basis for socio-economic development.
Dr William G. M. Brandful of CSDS Africa, said the Integrated Boarder Management Initiative was a good one; adding that, security plays pivotal role in every nation’s socioeconomic development.
Source: GNA