300 left jobless in ICT Authority’s push to eliminate redundant roles

Over 300 people will be left jobless in a proposed restructuring at the ICT Authority.

A report prepared by audit firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) proposed to cut the authority’s workforce to about 180 from 511.

Sources in the authority told Saturday Nation that the restructuring is expected to eliminate duplication of roles and improve efficiency.

“Some jobs will be lost but we need to run this organisation efficiently. There are people on the company’s payroll who do nothing. This is definitely not an efficient way of running any organisation,” the source said.

All employees will be re-evaluated before retaining or dismissing them.

The restructuring follows the merger of three former government agencies — Government Information Technology Services, Directorate of e-Government and the ICT Board — which were all advising the government on technology matters.

Gits was operating under the Ministry of Finance while the Directorate of e-Government was under State House. ICT Board was reporting to the Ministry of Information and Communication.

The trio were merged following a presidential executive order in May last year which directed that all government agencies dealing with technology be clustered into a single organisation under the ministry of ICT to avoid duplication of duties.

This is in line with ongoing reforms in the public service to trim excess workforce.

PERFOMANCE CONTRACT

Under the proposed plan, the authority will have five departments, each headed by a director. The directors will report to the chief executive and will all sign a performance contract. The chief executive will also sign a contract.

The shared services department, with the biggest staff of 70, will be responsible for all systems and applications in the government while the programmes and standards department will be setting and enforcing ICT standards and guidelines throughout the public service.

It will also be charged with ensuring that the government’s ICT projects are delivered on time, within budget and according to the specified scope.

A different department will be charged with conducting research and promoting innovation and the government’s partnerships with the private industry.

“This would assist in creating a strategic competitive advantage for Kenya to grow the ICT industry in Kenya, through attracting investors,” PwC notes in its report.

It is expected that more people will be hired and seconded to government ministries and agencies to provide support and oversee the implementation of ICT initiatives.

Those seconded to the various government institutions will report to the director of ICT service management department at the ICT Authority and will be in the watchdog’s payroll.