Amhara region information and communication technology development agency

AGREED ACTIONS

1. 
   REVIEW THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE-
   
   1. 
      The existence and performance of the steering committee and technical committee from region up to woredas should be reviewed and reported;
      

Currently the Regional Steering Committee is reorganized including concerned stakeholders and the chair person at Regional level is Deputy President and bureau head of Education, ICT Agency Secretary, Zone and Woreda/City administration level the chair person is reorganized followed the same chain, where Chairman and secretary are Zone Administrator/City Mayor and Head of Office of the Administration/Mayor offices respectively.

The Regional ICT steering Committee conduct two meetings discussed and made resolutions on different issues. Implementation of Satellite Education, maintenance of equipments, lack of trained IT technicians as a whole were hot issues and solved on time as soon as decision is over.

Besides this Steering Committee, another steering committee is also created. This committee consists of stakeholders relevant to implementation of trade license in Bureau of Trade and transport. A technical committee is also established under it. Videoconference service is installed to the Bureau, different sectors are connected to Woreda Net and other activities are performed according to the Steering Committee directions.

2. 
   M&E system should be established and strengthened specially for the performance of schoolnet ,Woredanet and rural connectivity; a report should also be prepared and communicated to federal
   

M&E is conducted repeatedly at all levels by experts from the Agency and Education Bureau. Bureau of Education maintenance team has supervised and maintain non functional equipments throughout the Region in the begging of first quarter before opening schools. The Steering Committee discussed on the proper utilization of Satellite Education in the presence of other respective bodies other than members of the Steering Committee. The Agency Management members and experts conduct field visit throughout the Zones, selected Community Centers and rural wireless telephones. Discussions with Officials and ICT experts on selected issues and problems have been made, and improvements are seen after it. After the field visit, the report has been sent to MCIT.

3. 
   A Checklist for the frequent inspection should be prepared both from federal and regions /Federal drafts and regions will enrich/
   

In the Region, it is customary to prepare and practice inspection and supervision checklist. Whenever an expert or official conduct inspection or supervision at field visit, organized report is submitted to the Agency based on the checklist. However, no checklist forwarded from federal level to regions.

2. 
   WOREDANET;
   
   1. 
      The performance of the video conference at full capacity should at least be ensured at zonal level, and then at woredas level
      

Last year 80 Woreda Net were migrated from VSAT to ADSL. From the rest 38 Woredas 24 are migrated. This covers 63.15% of the intended plan. For completion of the rest 14 Woreda Net follow-up is being carried out. Totally 104 Woreda Net are migrated. This covers 84.14%.

Videoconference becomes routine work at Regional and Zonal level. All functional centers are not working in full capacity for experience exchange, tribunals, workshops, etc.

2. 
   Internet service to schools and woredas should also be frequently checked
   

Internet service is somewhat good in WoredaNT and poor in Schools and Community Multipurpose Information Centers. Generally internet connection is failed in some areas frequently even after WoredaNet migration had done. The feedback from Zone and woreda experts showed that 1 Mbps was not enough to give services.

3. 
   Sector offices at regional level should be connected to the Woredanet and then the offices at zonal offices should also be connected to the Woredanet followed by linking woredas offices to the WoredaNet
   

Sectors offices at Regional and Zone level to be connected and the WoredaNet are identified and ratified by the Regional Steering Committee. Ethio-telecom has finalized the survey and provided commercial offer to the Agency. The required payment for connecting sectors with WoredaNet is paid to Ethio-Telecom for better benefit in internet and other services delivered by sectors.

4. 
   Proper utilization of NOC; regions should activate the devices at least two days every week and they be supposed to request status reports from NDC
   

For proper utilization of NOC, the announcement letter is sent to all Zones and woredas, where WoredaNet installation is done activating the devices twice in a week. Online follow up is being done and we receive progress report frequently from NOC.

5. 
   Regarding the payment for the Woredanet service; regions should secure budget/some has already secured / and the federal will support and follow up.
   

The Regional Government has allocated budget already, and all payment is paid timely. Sometimes Ethiotelecom cancels the service without prior notification of the Agency.

6. 
   Timely maintenance of schoolnet and Woredanet equipments
   

SchoolNet maintenance is performed by Bureau of Education organizing team before opening school of 2005 academic year. This team covered the whole Region where SchoolNet installation covers. WoredaNet maintenance is also done where problems arise. Some are replaced requesting materials from MCIT.

7. 
   Gather, organize and share among regions the developed and implemented systems at federal and regional level.
   

The Region follows consciously for systems developed by Regions and Federals for implementation. To mention some, tirta from Tigray and Health Management System from Ministry of Health etc.

8. 
   All regions should establish a call center
   

The Region paid installation and advance monthly rental payment for four months. Site is selected at Ethio-Telecom office. Sectors are selected. However, the project is not going as per our agreement, which we discussed in our six month workshop.

2.9. Woredanet migration payment study done and should be paid

Totally 104 Woranet are migrated successfully. There are only 14 Woredanet sites which are not migrated and reported to MCIT.

3. 
   RURAL CONNECTIVITY
   
   1. 
      Human resource requirement should be prepared at federal level, land should be prepared as per the designed plan and should be sent to regions
      

The Regional Steering Committee discussed and made resolutions on the matter. Awareness is created. Announcement through letter is dispatched. Besides, in the annual workshop, awareness was created for the forum, finally a videoconference session was arranged in the presence of political leaders, Zonal adiministrators and other concerned stakeholders.

Rural Connectivity coverage of 2005

S. No.	Zones	No. of Kebeles accessed
1	Wag Hemira	122
2	North Shoa	50
3	North Gondar	324
4	East Gojam	93
5	North Wollo	125
6	Awi	25
7	South Wollo	31
8	West Gojam	63
9	Oromo	2
10	Bahir Dar	3
	Total	838

As shown in the above table, requests for installation of rural wireless has come from Zonal administration when completed human resource and office arrangements.

However, in our field visit the following problems were revealed.

• 
  Network coverage
  
• 
  Awareness creation of the public
  
• 
  Card provision and charge rate
  
• 
  Maintenance of the existing wireless
  
• 
  Office and manpower arrangement, etc
  

2. 
   Strengthen the ongoing community centers / activities should be planned and implemented/
   

In the Region, 34 Community Multipurpose Information Center, 2 Community Radios and one ICT Business Incubation Center are organized so far. In this budget year the Region established and organizes 15 new centers and the total number of Community Information Centers is 49. Training manuals on different subjects were published and dispatched to all community centers. The Region procured and distributed CDMA1-X for all and now internet access is accessible in some center. Support and supervision is has been conducted. Problems encountered are being solved. On line service is available at least once in two weeks. Feedback is given after data is collected, analyzed and organized. Property and financial administration is also in good conditions.

17.