The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) is a government agency established by the Ghanaian government in 2004. It was established under the Electronic Communications Act, of 2008 (Act 775) to help bridge the digital divide in the country. The major objective of GIFEC is to promote and expand access to electronic communication services in Ghana’s unserved and underserved regions.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalization oversees GIFEC, which is in charge of carrying out the Universal Access Service Fund (UASF). To enhance the delivery of digital communications services in Ghana’s underdeveloped and rural areas, the UASF was founded. A 1% tax on the nation’s digital communication service providers’ revenue goes toward funding the fund.
The goal of GIFEC is to advance global connectivity to the internet, digital broadcasting, voice and data services, and other digital communications technologies. The group works toward achieving this objective through several projects and activities aimed at closing the digital divide in Ghana.
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Functions
They are responsible for the following functions:
Electronic infrastructure development
Identifying and subsidizing the development of digital communications infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas is one of GIFEC’s main responsibilities. The group offers financial support to companies that offer digital communication services so they can build and maintain communications infrastructure in underserved and rural areas. Additionally, GIFEC offers subsidies to regional towns for the construction of community information centers that give users access to the Internet and other forms of electronic communication.
Training and capacity building
GIFEC offers capacity-building programs and training to improve electronic literacy and encourage the adoption of digital communications services in underserved and rural regions in addition to infrastructure construction. The organization collaborates with neighborhood communities to determine their training requirements and creates specialized training programs to address those needs. GIFEC collaborates with other groups and interested parties to design and launch digital literacy initiatives around the nation.
Promoting the use of electronic communications services
Promoting the use of digital communications services in a variety of economic sectors, such as education, health, agriculture, and commerce, is another important task for GIFEC. The company collaborates with players in various industries to find opportunities for using digital communication services and offers assistance in developing and putting these solutions into practice. GIFEC also collaborates with entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses to encourage the creation and uptake of commercial solutions based on digital interaction.
Regulatory roles
In Ghana, GIFEC is crucial to the regulation of the digital communications sector. The group collaborates with the National Communications Authority (NCA) to create laws and policies that support the expansion of the nation’s digital interactions sector. To guarantee that they adhere to industry standards and laws, GIFEC also offers technical and regulatory help to suppliers of electronic interaction services.
Management of the Universal Access Service Fund (UASF)
Finally, GIFEC is responsible for managing the Universal Access Service Fund (UASF). To support the creation and delivery of electronic interaction services in Ghana’s rural and underdeveloped areas, the organization oversees the fund and distributes financial aid to local communities. To make sure that projects supported by the UASF accomplish their intended objectives, GIFEC also keeps track of and assesses their results.
Summary
The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) is a government organization that was created to support widespread access to electronic communications services and close Ghana’s digital divide. The organization accomplishes this goal by managing the Universal Access Service Fund, promoting digital literacy and the adoption of electronic communications services, regulating the digital communications industry (UASF), and more. The work of GIFEC is essential to the expansion of Ghana’s electronic communications sector as well as to the nation’s general economic development.
