Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has clarified that a draft National Information Technology Authority (NITA) Bill currently in circulation is not yet law, as government pushes reforms to streamline ICT procurement.

In an interview with Citi FM on Tuesday (26 May), the minister said the proposed reforms are aimed at addressing inefficiencies and duplication within the public sector’s digital systems.

He said multiple government agencies currently procure similar digital services independently, leading to unnecessary spending.

“We’re looking to clean up the public sector space very well,” he said, adding that there was “a multiplicity of duplicated systems”.

George said some service providers supply similar services to several government institutions and charge each separately, when a single integrated system could serve multiple agencies at lower cost.

He announced plans for a technical clearance certification system that would require ICT-related procurement to be reviewed before approval.

He said the system would complement existing procurement rules and ensure better value for money in government technology spending.

“The same way you need commitment authorisation from the Finance Minister before procurement approval, we are introducing a technical clearance certification system,” he said.

The proposed NITA Bill seeks to strengthen regulation of Ghana’s ICT sector, including licensing of service providers, certification of professionals, technical standards, and oversight of digital infrastructure and procurement.

It is expected to expand the mandate of the National Information Technology Agency under a revised legal framework.

George stressed that the document currently in circulation is only a preliminary draft and has no legal force.