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ICT experts under-used, says Costech acting head
2008-03-01 09:25:18
By Gadiosa Lamtey
A senior official of a think-tank with close government links has cited under-utilisation of ICT experts as the major reason for the low level of the development of science and technology in Tanzania.
Dr Rose Kingamkono, acting director general of Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (Costech), made remarks to that effect yesterday.
Her observation comes at a time when efforts to raise the standard of information and communication technology in the country are in full swing.
She said most experts in the ICT sector were in disguised unemployment, much to the disappointment of the entire field and the nation at large.
``The commission is not doing well in terms of efforts to develop of science and technology because the respective experts are not fully utilised,`` noted the Costech chief at a briefing session for Communications, Science and Technology minister Shukuru Kawambwa, who toured the commission`s offices in Dar es Salaam.
Dr Kingamkono said most ICT and other professionals were performing below standard mainly because of lying idle.
``If the government gives them work to do and improves their monthly pay packets and other incentives, I am optimistic that the commission`s performance will improve appreciably,`` she noted.
Low salaries constituted another factor contributing to the demoralisation of the commission’s experts, ``and this negatively impacts on our performance as an institution``, she added.
She explained that most research findings conducted by the commission`s scientists and other experts end up in shelves, with the government taking hardly any initiative to make them benefit local would-be entrepreneurs.
She called for government support towards more effective use of studies done by experts for the good of science, technology and other sectors of the economy.
Dr Kawambwa, who led a high-profile delegation from the ministry, said he appreciated the work done by the commission and pledged to help it out by addressing the pressing problems it was facing.
He said the government was adopting the use of new technologies to enable the country ``to cope with global developments and the dynamics of science and technology``.
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