RITA connect all districts this year

The Deputy CEO of the Rwanda Development Board in charge of ICT (RDB/RITA) has revealed that their aim is to connect all the districts in the country within the next six monthsNkubito Bakuramutsa. Said this on Thursday while addressing a National ICT workshop at Novotel Hotel in Kigali, which brought together various IT managers in public institutions and district officials from all over the country. “By September 2009, all districts will be connected in their different buildings through the fibre (optic cable),” said Nkubito Bakuramutsa. According to Bakuramutsa, the workshop aimed at making an evaluation on how ICT has been implemented so far and draw plans of how it can be spread in all corners of the country at a fast pace. He said that currently, many institutions have already been connected to the fibre. “The system is already in place, but many people don’t know how to use it,” he said, adding that more training was required, starting from top officials in public institutions and government offices. The main focus, according to Bakuramutsa, will be put on the Internet system, emails and construction of websites for different institutions. He projected that all government institutions will have their websites operational by June this year, which will provide government agencies and the general public quick access to information. “We are using Kigali as a pilot, but all these projects will be moved into other districts as well,” Bakuramutsa said, adding that they are now in negotiations for the construction of the National Data Centre. However, IT managers in different districts said the practicability of this project is still difficult, citing lack of infrastructure as one of the major obstacles. “Infrastructures are not ready in every place,” said Desire Nsabimana, in charge of IT in Burera District, Northern Province. “But there is hope because roads are being built and electricity is reaching deeper into the villages.” In his presentation, Bakuramutsa also indicated the need to bring Telecentres close to the community, a move that he said will transform Rwanda into an IT-literate nation, but he also mentioned the illiteracy rate in rural areas as one of the obstacles. 12 Telecenters are now operational countrywide while 18 more will be in place by the end of this year, which will allow every district to have its own. Ends