No abstract

Software plays a very important role in our aspiration as a country to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as enablers for development. Licensing cost for Proprietary Software (PS) is however expensive and does not offer the freedom to manipulate the source code. Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) emerged as an alternative to Proprietary Software and has since its introduction made inroads onto desktops and servers alike. With FOSS emerged the freedom to run the programs for any purpose, freedom to study and modify the software, freedom to copy the software and share with neighbors and freedom to improve the program and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. This paper makes a case for these freedoms. The paper first compares PS and FOSS use in Ghana and proposes a way for government to adopt FOSS. Findings of this case study are a result of field research conducted by the authors, personal interviews and through desk research.

No abstract

This short paper presents an ongoing review of an investigative case, presented and critiqued with suggestions for further research on the use of mobile phones to call in to FM radio in sub-Saharan Africa with Ghana as the single case study. It further seeks to describe the levels of community participation. As an ongoing review in an area that is limited in research this paper will begin with a background to the topic, continue with the increasing demand for information outside news websites, evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile phone and why it is the ICT tool for rural discourse when combined with the traditional media channel of delivery; the radio, in a rural area. Important questions the paper asks include the effectiveness or otherwise of this collaboration and also its appropriateness for managing good governance mechanisms, if any; and also if the target audience find this channel of delivery accessible and affordable?

The Poster seeks to illustrate existing theories of building smart governments beyond 2015 with mobile technologies using Ghana in West Africa as a country case study.