Opinions
Why government should support ICT innovations
Government should support ICT innovations
The sporadic growth of innovations in the world today present an array of hope for a better and more simplified society. Imagine using an ICT application toforego the stress and discomfort that comes with standing in long queues to purchase commodities in the market, travel, education, trade and commerce.
Last week, a group of Makerere University graduates code-named Team Matibabu made a headline story by winning USD$10,000 Extra Funding at the iSHOW Competition in Kenya. The group invented a non-invasive diagnostic kit used to detect malaria called Matibabu. There are possibly many innovators like Matibabuthat are struggling with developing and marketing their content due to limited financial support.
Still in the same week, the youthful Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook delivered a maiden speech to the 2017 graduands of Havard University in which he encouraged them to become more creative and aim at finding innovative solutions to end poverty and disease. He [Zuckerberg] at 19, invented Facebook to connect a small community of Havard, however since then his innovation turned into the largest social media site with over one billion people connected.
I am compelled to think that so many innovators in Uganda have better ideas or similar to those of Zuckerberg, however, what remains lacking are the strategic steps to boost and empower such innovators. We therefore need to harness the potentialof promising innovators if we are to better position our country according to the dictums of the modern age which is highly driven by ICT innovations.
In 2016 the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) promised to introduce an innovative fund where innovators would access financial support to facilitate development and marketing of their innovations.This was a step in the right direction since it would streamline the art of using ICT tools to spur innovations. Financial institutions like banks interested in supporting or boosting innovators may institute in place innovation loans or innovators credit that could be loaned to innovators with outstanding innovations.
Lastly, government should make internet resources free or more affordable to the populationsince through use of internet, innovators are able research new ideas and also find access towider markets for their goods or services.
BadruWalusansa
Commonwealth correspondent
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