Kampala — Market-driven approaches to implementing information and communication technologies (ICTs) in poor societies like Uganda are overly ineffective.

Absolute reliance on the private sector to spread the use of ICTs, according to the Minister of Works and Communications, Mr John Nasasira, would be difficult since private enterprises are fundamentally driven by profit yet whole sections of the country are still trapped in poverty.

For a quicker penetration of ICTs, Nasasira, who was speaking at a World Telecommunications Day symposium in Kampala on Tuesday, suggested use of public-private partnerships (PPPs), saying that such an approach would "balance commercial objectives with the principle of equitable access to the service".

The acronym ICTs refers to a broad range of newly discovered and commercialised technologies that have since early 1990s been effectively deployed and changed most traditional modes of conducting daily tasks.

High-tech creations like the computer, Internet, satellite, fibre optic cables; broadband and others have revolutionarised such critical components of daily life like medical practice, business efficiency, military strategising, factory production, communication and dozens of others.

While most of these facilities have long become essentials and part of everyday life in the developed world, whole populations in poverty-stricken nations continue to have severely limited knowledge of them later on having access.

Currently, Nasasira disclosed, his ministry is refining a draft national policy on ICTs due for tabling before Cabinet meant to strengthen the public responsibility in extending ICTs particularly to rural areas.

Already, through the Uganda Communications Commission, the government is administering a Rural Communications Fund built with monies charged on ICT investors. That Fund is used to erect telecenters, Internet access points and FM radios in far-flung locations of the country shunned by investors for little or no demand of such services.

Uganda, according to Nasasira, has proactively participated in the activities and processes of the World Summit on Information Society, the worldwide forum fighting inequality ICT access.

The reluctance of local governments and ambivalence of certain conservative masses towards embracing ICTs was also noted as greatly hampering their spread. Local governments and NGOs were said to be strategically positioned to have the most widespread impact in implementing information technologies: they are in direct contact with the poor, which makes them the most competent in identifying particular needs and suitable ICT solutions.

0ne of the foremost roles that can be successfully played by local governments and NGOs is popularising the technologies, organising and sponsoring short pragrammes for ICT literacy in the masses.

Without necessary and sufficient knowledge of these facilities, Nasasira warned of a likelihood of "where good facilities are in place whereas the population is completely ignorant of any practical benefits they might offer."