Wednesday 15th March 2023
The Digital Government Plan 2023-2027, which was endorsed by the National Executive Council, in February 2023, aims at digitizing and automating all public services, strengthening and improving revenue generation and making the delivery of services fast and accessible to every Papua New Guinean.
The development of the Plan is a requirement under Section 10 of the Digital Government Act 2022, which elaborates that, under the Digital Government Act 2022, the Public Service ICT Steering Committee has oversight and coordination on delivery of the Plan.
Among the digital projects within the Plan, key projects include:
▪ The ‘Digital ID and Biometric’ which will enable identification, verification and authentication of citizens transacting online,
▪ The ‘e-Government Portal’. This will provide a single point of access to government services and information by citizens and businesses and,
▪ The ‘Secure Data Exchange Platform’. This will enable integration and interoperability of government systems across whole of government for real time sharing of information and collaboration.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology is currently embarking on common digital services in 2023, ranging from automated Cabinet meetings (eCabinet); eProcurement, to a Central Admissions System for Police, Correctional Services, and Colleges, eVoting, to devising an Investment Portal for local SMEs and foreign investors.
Some of the key targets included in the Plan are:
▪ Increasing 4G Mobile Penetration from 45% to 90% by 2027
▪ Have at least 78 Districts connected with 4G equivalent experience by 2027
▪ Uptake of ICT SMEs and Entrepreneurs with an ICT Cluster Established through Legislation
▪ Increase ranking of PNG Cyber Security Index from 118th to within Top 50.
▪ Access of financial services from 5% to 100% by 2027.
The plan ensures it is clear and well organized by the government and it will help increase government generation through the uptake of Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Most importantly it will grow the economy.
The Digital Government Plan 2023 -2027 has been endorsed by the National Executive Council (NEC) in 2022.
The Plan leads on from the ICT Roadmap 2018, the PNG Digital Transformation Policy 2020 and the Digital Government Act 2022.
The overall importance of the Plan is to enable connectivity, meaning citizens and businesses can benefit from access to information, tools to improve productivity and efficiency, and improved access to critical services such as health, education, and justice.
These include all digital government services such as ability to pay taxes, vote, pay utility bills, school fees, register for school, conduct business online, report a crime, access education and health records.
This Plan acts as a guide to the government, businesses, investors, ICT clusters, and
bilateral partners to align resources where relevant towards sustaining the implementation of ‘Digital Government’.
Traditionally, government services have been delivered manually, by individual departments in different locations, and often using paper forms. With digital services, the government plans to deliver information and services to citizens anytime, anywhere, and on any platform or device.
For example, the citizens can use the platform to view medical records online, file taxes online, and change marital status or home address online.
Moving these programs and services online not only gives the people what they want, but it also frees up government manpower to focus on the larger issues.
The Plan recognizes the absence of appropriate ICT policy interventions within the Development Strategic Plan 2030 and therefore positions itself as a strategic delivery plan for the anticipated Medium Term Revenue Strategy 2023 – 2027 and to complement the delivery of the Medium-Term Development Plan 2023 – 2027.