THE COMPELLING NEED FOR CIOs IN

MDAsA Presentation Delivered to:

eNigeria 2012 Conference

By

Sadiq Abubakar, KRC Services Ltd

Preamble Definition of CIO Distinguish b/w CIO and Head of IT Functions of a CIO in an MDA What obtains today in most MDAs What Obtains in Private Sector e.g. Banking Case Studies – From Various Countries CIO: Learning from Experience of Selected

Countries Conclusion: The Compelling Need for CIOs in

MDAs

Agenda

All MDAs are created with a mandate to deliver one form of service or another to citizens

Service Delivery to Citizens by MDAs leaves much room for Improvement

The Citizens’ experience in receiving service from MDAs vary from “Difficult” to “Traumatic”

ICT can be used to dramatically improve service delivery to citizens both in quantity, quality and timeliness

Preamble

“The CIO is a Strategic Value Creator for the organization.” According to Institute of CIO Excellence, University of South Carolina Upstate

What is this Strategic Value?In the private sector it means shareholder value: Profits!In the Public Sector it means: Service (to Citizens as defined in the respective MDA’s mandate).

Definition of CIO

There is a very clear distinction b/w the roles of CIO and that of Head of IT:

Head of IT : is in charge of the Tactical, but important, provision of Reliable, Cost Effective and Secure IT Services to the entire Organization, such as working computers and internet.

The CIO : on the other hand is a Strategic Value Creator, a creator of the services defined in the MDA’s mandate, using technology. He ought to be a direct report to the Head of the MDA.

Thus while the Head of IT services the MDA, the CIO is focused on the end recipients of the MDA’s services.

Distinguish b/w The CIO and The Head of IT

The CIO’s responsibility is to enable the delivery of the core services of the MDA using modern Information & Communication Technology.

The CIOs are prime movers of e-Government They have to be suitably located in the administrative hierarchy and have top level support in the MDAs to enable them carry out this function effectively!

Functions of the CIO in an MDA

The IT Unit is tucked away under PRS Dept. PRS stands for Planning, Research & Statistics.

At best such IT Units are headed by Heads of IT as defined in an earlier slide.

The CIO is unknown and does not exist in most MDAs

Thus the rest of the world is leaving us behind in Service delivery to our Citizens

What Obtains Today in Most MDAs

In the past few years we have seen dramatically improved service delivery from our banks. Examples: banking in any branch, banking after hours, e-payments, online funds transfers, mobile payments, etc.

These are brought about by placing CIOs in proper Executive positions in the banks and of course from competitive pressures.

The combination of internet and mobile technologies are being used to improve service delivery in numerous industries

What Obtains in Private Sector e.g. Banking, Telecomms

Many Countries have set up what they call the Government CIO or the Chief Public CIO

Many countries have set up CIO Councils to support the GCIO.

In India the Chief Government CIO is based in the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology (MCIT). And there is a country-wide Network of Public Sector CIOs & CTOs at National, State and District Levels.

Case Studies From Various Countries

In South Africa there is a GCIO whose office is located in the Department of Public Service & Administration, Batho Pele House in Pretoria. There is a Council of Government CIOs, called GITO Council.

In Mauritius, the CIO concept in the Public Sector was introduced in 2003. CIO positions were created in all MDAs reporting directly to the Heads of those MDAs.

Case Studies From Various Countries

S.N. Country Location of the CIO

Lessons (Notable Contribution to the CIO Concept)

1 United Kingdom Cabinet Office Top support (Cabinet Office) to the CIO, Excellent focus on serving citizens, Marketing of E-government services (CO 2008).

2 United States of America

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Best supported CIO in the world, including by legislation, by CIO Councils, Associations and (WH 2008).

3 Canada Treasury Board of Secretariat (TBS)

Excellent technical support to the CIO through CIO Secretariat, Comprehensive Framework for the CIO (TBS 2007).

4 Australia Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

Support by the CIO to Information Management Strategy Committee (IMSC), Marketing of E-government services (AGIMO 2008).

CIO: Learning from the Experience of Selected Countries

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S.N. Country Location of the CIO Lessons (Notable Contribution to the CIO

Concept)5 Japan Administration

Management Bureau (AMB)

Driving the CIO Concept “worldwide,” Preparation of “Optimization Plan” by CIO with the help of technical Assistant CIO .

6 Singapore Info-Communications Development Authority(IDA)

Sharp Focus on E-government by the CIO, Excellent citizen-centric services including very high capability for online transactions (IDA 2008).

7 Hong Kong SAR

Department of Commerce, Industry and Technology (DCIT)

Sharp focus by the CIO on Business and Community (OGCIO 2008).

8 Malta Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)

Best Coordinating Role by the CIO (GOM 2008).

CIO:Learning from the Experience of Selected Countries

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CIO:Learning from the Experience of Selected Countries

S.N. Country Location of the CIO Lessons (Notable Contribution to the CIO Concept)

9 Botswana Cabinet (Proposed) A “CIO” proposed under “Mailtamo” Governance Structure (ROB n.d.).

10 India Department of Information Technology (DIT), Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)

Countrywide Network of CIOs and CTOs at National, State and District Levels incorporating both CIO and CTO concepts (NIC n.d.).

11 Thailand Ministry of Science and Technology

Development of National “Digital Nervous System” (DNS) (Thajchayapong 2004).

12 Sri Lanka Information and Communication Technology Agency of (ICTA).

CIOs as Chief Innovation Officers, eventually becoming Chief Information Officers (ICTA 2008).

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There is a Compelling reason to adopt and implement the Public CIO Concept and the placement of CIOs in the various MDAs in the Public Sector of our Country

The CIOs so placed have to be suitably located in administrative hierarchy of the respective MDAs and have top level support.

After this is done service delivery to Citizens using Technology can begin to happen.

CONCLUSION: The Compelling Need for CIOs in all MDAs