CONTENT CREATION AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL

CONTENT MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CIC MANAGERS AND

DISTRICT INFORMATION OFFICERS (DIOs) ORGANIZED BY GIFEC AT GMIC,

ON APRIL 16, 2013, ACCRA

PRESENTATION BYMAWUTODZI KODZO ABISSATH

DEPUTY DIRECTOR ISD/HEAD OF IT

OUTLINE

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO CONTENT CREATION AT     THE DISTRIC LEVEL

•      OBJECTIVES   OF  THE CICs

•      WHAT IS CONTENT CREATION?

•      STRATEGY/APPROACH

•      DEMONSTRATION (BLOG)

•      PRACTICAL  EXERCISE

•      VISIT  GOG PORTAL WWW.GHANA.GOV.GH

1.      BACKGROUNG

GHANA GOVERNMENT IN 2004 ADOPTED A POLICY TO ESTABLISH COMMUNITY INFORMATION CENTRES (CICs) IN ALL (230) NOW 275 ELECTORAL CONSTITUENCIES IN THE COUNTRY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF   GHANA ICT FOR ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT (GHANA ICT4AD).        

IN 2007 THROUGH THE COLLABORATION OF   MINISTRIES  OF COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS,               WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP),  TWO CIC PILOT PROJECTS WERE INAUGURATED  AT DODOWA, DANGME WEST DISTRICT  AND AT SALTPOND, MFANTSEMAN MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLIES  IN   THE GREATER ACCRA AND  CENTRAL REGIONS RESPECTIVELY.

BEFORE THEN SEVERAL OTHER CICs HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN OTHER DISTRICTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. HOWEVER, THE DODOWA AND SALTPOND CICs WERE THE FIRST PILOT PROJECTS THAT THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND MEDIA RELATIONS   PLAYED A VITAL ROLE LEADING TO THEIR COMMISSIONING BY THE THEN MINISTER FOR INFORMATION AND NATIONAL ORIENTATION, MRS. OBOSHIE SAI COFIE IN APRIL 2007.

2.      OBJECTIVE     

THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF THE CICs AMONG OTHER THINGS WERE/ ARE TO:

·         ASSIST IN BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN AND COMMUNITIES.

·         DISSEMINATE DEVELOPMENT ORIENTED  INFORMATION TO RURAL COMMUNITIES, WITH REFERENCE TO HEALTH,  EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT,  TOURISM,  LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NVESTMENT  ARTS AND CULTURE ETC.

·         PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR CAPCITY BUILDING IN  BASIC COMPUTYER LITERACY AND ICTs  IN HE RURAL  COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT  RURAL DWELLERS AND THE UNDERPRIVILEGED, ESPECIALLY THE YOUTH  ARE NOT LEFT OUT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION BLOWING ACROSS THE GLOBE

·         SUPPORT BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING MARKET INFORMATION ON IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND EXTENSION SERVICES.

·         ENHANCE PEACE, UNITY AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION FOR SOCIO-CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF THE PEOPLE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF THE NATION.

·         FACILITY

TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES, THE CICs WERE EXPECTED TO BE PROVIDED WITH THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES:

·         COMPUTERS,

·          FAX MACHINES,

·          PRINTERS,  PHOTO COPIERS,

·         TELEPHONES,

·         TELEVISION AND RADIO SETS.

·          LIBRARY WITH BOOKS

·         INTERNET CONNECTIVITY (VIA SATELLITE/WIRELESS OR LINKED TO NATIONAL FIBER BACKBONE. (E-GHANA PROJECT)

·         ELECTRICITY/STANDBY GENERATOR

WHAT IS CONTENT?

·         CONTENT IS ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE ON THE INTERNET WHEN YOU CLICK YOUR MOUSE.

·          IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS DIGITAL CONTENT.

·           DIGITAL CONTENT CAN TAKE  VARIOUS  FORMS I.E

·            TEXT, AUDIO, VIDEO

·           GRAPHICS, ANIMATIONS, 

•        IMAGES OR PHOTOGRAPHS

WHAT IS CONTENT CREATION?

BASICALLY, CONTENT CREATION OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT IS BRINGING INTO BEING SOMETHING THAT DID NOT EXIST. IN OUR CONTEXT WE CREATE WHEN WE PRODUCE ANY DOCUMENT THAT DID NOT EXIST PREVIOUSLY. THIS CAN BE A NEWS STORY, AN ARTICLE, A PHOTOGRAPH, OR  AUDIO-VISUAL DOCUMENTARY ON  THE PROCEEDINGS OF  YOUR MUNICIPAL OR DISTRICT SEMBLIES. YOU CAN CREATE A CONTENT OUT OF   A TRADITIONAL  FESTIVAL CELEBRATION IN YOUR DISTRICT.  THEN AFTER  CREATING THE CONTENT IT MUST BE PUBLISHED ONLINE. (WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, TWEETER YOUTUBE OR ON A BLOG. THIS IS WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS  DIGITAL CONTENT!

WHO CAN B A CONTENT CREATOR?

·         ANYBODY WHO CAN READ AND WRITE CAN BE A CONTENT CREATOR

•      A JOURNAILIST, AN INFORMATION OFFICER IS A CONTENT CREATOR

•      A BLOGGER, PHOTO/VIDEOGRAPHER IS A CONTENT CREATOR ETC.

BLOGGING IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL DIOs BECAUSE WHATEVER IS POSTED ON A BLOG STAYS FOR YEARS. ALL DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN WEBSITES WHICH MUST BE LINIKED TO THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL WEBSITE (GHANA PORTAL) WWW.GHANA.GOV.GH  BUT UNTIL THEN, ALL DIOs MUST ENDEAVOUR TO CREATE THEIR OWN BLOGS WHERE THEY CAN POST  CONTENTS CREATED FOR THEIR DISTRICTS.

TOOLS REQUIRED TO CREATE CONTENT

•      DIOs REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING  BASIC TOOLS TO CREATE CONTENT:

•      COMPUTER/LAP TOP/TABLET

•      AUDIO RECODER, (MOBILE PHONE)

•      DIGITAL CAMERA

•       VIDEO CAMERA ETC.

STRATEGY/APPROACH

DIOs MUST CREATE CONTENT THAT IS REVANT AND OF INTEREST TO  THEIR  DISTRICTS. TO DO THIS, THE FOLLOWING STRATEGY MUST BE CONSIDERED:

Ø  FIRST  THEY MUST ASK THEMSELVES  THIS QUESTION:

1.      WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES OR EVENTS THAT ARE TOPICAL AND OF INTEREST TO THE PEOPLE OF MY DISTRIC? (FARMING/FISHING/MINING)

2. IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES IN VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY IN THEIR DISTRICTS I.E EDUCATION, HEALTH, AGRICULTURE, TOURISM, ENVIRONMENT, INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES ETC.

3. DO SOME BASIC RESEARCH TO GATHER RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR THE CREATION OF YOUR CONTENT

4. CONDUCT AN INTERVIEW OR A SURVEY AMONG RELIABLE SOURCE (S) FOR THE AUTHENTICY, ACCURACY AND VALIDITY OF YOUR DATA OR INFORMATION I.E TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES/DCEs/DEPT.HEAD ETC. 

5. SUPPORT YOUR RESEARCH FINDING OR INFORMATION WITH AUDIO/VIDIO CLIPS OR PHOTOGRAPHS ETC.

6. PROCESS, WRITE, EDIT, FORMAT AND POST  YOUR CONTENT ON YOUR BLOG

PRACTICAL EXERCISE

TOPIC:

•      IDENTIFY A TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL OR A TOURIST ATTRACTION IN YOUR DISTRICT AND CREATE A CONTENT TO BE POSTED ON YOUR BLOG. (MAKE SURE YOUR BLOC IS LINKED TO THE GOG PORTAL)

APPROACH

•      NAME OF THE FESTIVAL/ TOURIST ATTRACTION

•      ORIGIN OF THE FESTIVAL/ LOCATION OF THE TOURIST ATTRACTION

•      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FESTIVAL/ IS THE TOURIST ATTRACTION DEVELOPED YET? (FACILITIES)

•      FREQUENCY OF THE FESTIVAL ( ANNUAL, QUARTERLY) WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE TOURIST ATTRACTION? ANY REVENUE FOR THE ASSEMBLY?

•      WHAT GOES INTO THE CELEBRATION OF THE FESTIVAL (WHY AND HOW) –

•      CONCLUSION

GOG PORTAL: www.ghana.gov.gh

OFFICIAL EMAIL ADDRESSES:

•      ISD DIRECTOR: info.isd@isd.gov.gh

•      ISD PUBLISHING: info.pub@isd.gov.gh

•      IT CENTRE:       itcentre@moi.gov.gh

THANK YOU!

APRIL 12, 2013
Contact: abissath@gmail.com

Ghana’s Technology City - Africa’s Hope for the 21^st Century

By Mawutodzi K. Abissath

Architectural Prototype of the HOPE City 

A philosophical African proverb postulates: “Out of the black pot emerges the white porridge.”

In the history of ideas, the dream of the “HOPE City” in Ghana can be compared to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. And in terms of human imagination, Roland Agambire of modern Ghana can be said to be at par with Pharaoh Amehotep IV or Akhenaton of the ancient Egypt.

HOPE City

On Monday, 4^th March 2013, a technological history was made in Ghana when a button was clicked by President John Mahama, instead of hitting the ground with a pick axe to officially cut a sod for the construction of one of the wonders of modern world. It is the construction of a $10billion Information and Communications Technology (ICT) City for Rlg Communication Ltd at Dunkunaa off the Mallam,Kasoa Road near Accra.

The brainchild of this mind-boggling Technology Park, christened HOPE City, is a young Ghanaian entrepreneur par excellent Mr. Roland Agambire who will be only 39 this April. He is the Chairman of Agams Group and CEO of Rlg Ltd. He is a man of humble beginning who hails from a village called Sirigu in the Upper East Region of Ghana, some 800km north of the capital Accra. By African standards, Mr. Agambire is an exceptional continental role model for the youth of Africa.

In a pullout document that was inserted in  the Daily Graphic and the  Ghanaian Times on the day the project was launched in Accra, (04/03/2013) it was clearly stated that the HOPE City was envisioned to become “the sub region’s premier business location for high-performance computing, advanced communications and large-scale data handing.”

According to Mr. Agambire, the concept of HOPE City which is an acronym for Home, Office, People Environment, is to build a vertical city where over 50.000 workers especially in the field of ICT will be engaged in the production of equipment and facilities for the design, fabrication and assembling of ICT software, hardware and many other innovative products for the entire African Continent and beyond.

Besides the 50.000 workers, over 25,000 inhabitants will be expected to live happily in this technological paradise. This wonder city which will be built on a plot of land covering over 100,000 sqm shall have a total “Gross Floor Area of approximately 1,200,000, for a total built area of about 1,500,000sqm.

Traditional architecture

Creatively, the architectural design of the HOPE City is based on the beautiful traditional round house units which embrace families in northern Ghana. But the HOPE City structures will be composed of six (6) towers where the tallest will be 75 storeys, that is over 270m height from the ground. It is expected to be the highest building on the African continent. (Can you imagine that?)

Two of the buildings will be 60 storeys and the remaining three lowest will be 42 stories each. All the six towers will be linked together by a system of bridges at different heights with common amenities.  This technological City will have a University that can accommodate over 5,000 students, 100 professors and over 50 staff as well as all academic facilities such as libraries and what have you?  While Mr. Agambire is the originator of the HOPE City idea, Mr. Paolo Brescia of Open Building Research (OBR),  Italy is the Architect for the project.

Further, the globally acclaimed ICT invention guru, Microsoft, together with the Government of Ghana is collaborating with Agams Group and RLG Ltd for the actual realization of this awesome dream.  This explains why the Senior Vice-President for Microsoft Africa, Mr. Ali Famamwy, joined hand with the Ghanaian President, together with Mr. Agambire to press the magic button that signaled the formal launch of the $10-billion historical project.

 But what makes the Hope City a continental project was the physical presence of two most powerful Governors of the Oson and Akwabon States of Nigeria. They were beyond themselves for what RLG is doing in Ghana and look forward to the Ghanaian company establishing branches not only in their respective states but across the length and breadth of Nigeria for the benefit of over 150 million souls over there.

Infrastructure Development

Records show that the HOPE City project falls within the broad framework of Ghana Government’s Policy of giving priority to infrastructure development with particular reference to ICT and energy sectors.  HOPE City project is poised to become a multipurpose infrastructure for business destination of technological, socio-cultural, touristic and investment opportunities not only for domestic but external investors as well.

 As expected to be the tallest building in Africa, HOPE City will be like the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Largest in Egypt where for thousands of years to come, people will be trooping in from all corners of the globe to Ghana to behold.

Since Ghana, by nature,  is  strategically and geographically located in the centre of the world in terms of its position vis a vis the equator, it will  be  easier for investors, tourists and globetrotters from any part of the world  to fly to Ghana to see this wonder HOPE City all year round. What makes the HOPE City even more relevant in the 21^st century is the fact that its raison d’être or purpose of being is the ICT connection and connectivity.  One can be in Ghana and do business in any part of the world.

Objectives

Principal objectives of the HOPE City among other things include:

• Reducing initial investment capital requirements in high-end communications and computer networking,
• “Hardware by providing shared assets at nominal cost to potential investors,
• Providing synergies between related sectors by appropriate segmentation and location of industries with similar requirements in proximity to each other,
• Fostering entrepreneurship,
• Providing impetus for employment, assisting provision of training and re-training as part of human-capacity development , and above all
• Providing superior infrastructure to engender confidence, ability and willingness to compete with the rest of the world.”

  If the above stated objectives are not in consonance with Government vision of job creation and employment opportunity for the teaming unemployed youth in Ghana then this writer is at a loss as to what the value of the HOPE City is all about.

  

It was against this backdrop that President John Dramani Mahama, in pressing the magic button to launch the project on that memorable day gave an assurance that Government would give “tax relief to the HOPE City Project.”

Mr.  Agambire himself stressed the need for the public and private sectors to combine their expertise, knowledge and resources within the framework of government’s Public Private Partnership (PPP) to bring development to the doorsteps the people.

This author cannot conclude this piece without acknowledging the contribution of various stakeholders, especially the international collaborators such the Microsoft Corporation and the Guma Group of South Africa and others for the realization of this mind-boggling project.

But some doubting Thomases are having some funny feelings and will want to adopt “wait and see” attitude. Some observers are even asking whether there will be no “dumsor-dumsor” in the HOPE City.

Africa’s Hope

The truth is that all great things on this planet of technology started with a tiny idea from someone’s mind. The Supreme Creator of the universe Himself started creation with a simple idea –“Let there be light and there was light!”

 So, therefore, all things being equal, in three years’ time, Ghana’s HOPE City will not only depict the emblem of the hope of Africa but symbolise the technological emancipation of the black race in the 21^st Century!

• The writer is Deputy Director/Head of IT at the Information Services Department of  the Ministry of Information and Media Relations 

Contact: abissath@gmail.com

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