Mobile technology usher new hope for Africa’s poor

Mobile technology has been hailed as the latest agent for transformation within Africa, this is according to the panelists’ attending e-strategies conference in Cape Town last week.

The gathering which brought together leaders across the continent to discuss the e-governance challenges in Africa touched a number of perennial problems affecting people and service delivery.

Dhadho Godhana, the Deputy Minister of Communications in Kenya was vocal about how mobile technology has transformed the lives of the poor on the continent, particularly in Kenya.
Speaking to ITNewsAfrica.com in Cape Town he said, “Mobile technology has transformed the lives of Kenyans such that without a phone you feel out of place. It is basically making life easier for everyone, we have been able to reach out to the rural poor through the services that are being offered by this technology.”

Ghodhana noted that almost all government services are available on the mobile. “You are able to do banking, check you medical records, school results, pay bills using this amazing technology, life has become much easier for Kenyans through this technology,” Ghodhana said.
The British High Commissioner to South Africa, Paul Boateng, who was the host, also gave thumbs up to mobile technology saying it will go a long way in making sure Africa’s most vulnerable will have easy access to services on the continent.

“Mobile technology has become so relevant that in my country (UK) we have more mobile phones than people. In Africa this kind of technology will make sure that services do get to the poorest of the poor which will go a long way in achieving the millennium development goals,” Boateng told the delegates gathered at the Bishop’s Grace Hotel.

Ghanaian Minister of Communications, Benjamin Ntim, also added his voice that Africans have missed exploiting opportunities in other revolutions including the industrial revolution but the continent cannot afford missing out on the Telecommunications revolution.

“We have missed on other revolutions and we cannot afford to miss this telecommunications one, this will go a long way to assist our poorest of the poor. This technology has improved services on the continent and we still have to exploit other opportunities associated with the technologies.”
The e-Strategies Africa Conference was organized by British Publishers, to provide a forum for the public and private sectors to exchange ideas and develop a common vision for the future of ICT Strategies.

By Samuel Mungadze