IT purchase requests from government entities reviewed

Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA) Chief Executive Mohammed Ali AlQaed yesterday chaired the 31st ICT Governance Committee (ICTGC) meeting at iGA’s headquarters in Isa Town to discuss the IT project purchases and operational expenses of government entities.

In attendance were members of the committee, representing several government organisations. The committee discussed a range of issues, and reviewed ICT-related purchase orders estimated to have cost more than BD7 million.

The purchases were in relation to several important projects, most notably data line connections for government schools and the Ministry of Education’s telephone communication and internet systems, audiovisual systems for the National Charter Monument, and a customer call centre for the Urban Planning and Development Authority.

ICTGC was established in 2011 through a resolution issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Information and Communication Technology.

The Committee is responsible for setting standards for the optimal use of ICT by government entities, reviewing project strategies and costs, and working with ministries and government institutions to improve IT competence.

ICTGC also follows up on all the tasks assigned to it by the Higher Committee for Information and Communication Technology. The ICTGC consists of Mr AlQaed (Chairman); iGA Deputy CE, Operations and Governance Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa (Vice Chairman); iGA Deputy CE, Electronic Transformation Dr Zakareya Ahmed AlKhajah; Assistant Undersecretary of Resources and Information at Ministry of Finance and CEO of Future Generation Reserve Ebrahim Abul; Information Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology Dr Aref AbdulRahman Abdulkarim; Assistant Under Secretary for Planning And Information at Ministry of Education Nawal Ebrahim Al Khater; Assistant Undersecretary for Resources and Services at the Ministry of Health Fatima Abdul Wahid Al Ahmed; Director of Support Services and Talent Management at the Economic Development Board Maha Abdulhameed Mufeez; and Dean of the College of Information Technology at University of Bahrain Dr. Lamya Mohamed Aljasmi.