The Parliament General Purpose Committee, responsible for amending the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure, has approved the establishment of a standing committee to oversee the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.
A total of 17 committees have been established as standing committees under the rules of Parliament. There are 14 committees on state agencies and three committees on parliamentary affairs.
The mandate of the newly created ICT Committee is to examine all matters relating to the sector, take necessary action and oversee and hold accountable the nationally developed, and implemented activities as well as service regulators.
However, the committee’s mandate does not include service providers as this falls within the purview of the SOE committee.
The ICT Committee was approved as the absence of such a committee in the legislature could hamper parliamentary work and other functions in this digital age.
The National Development and Heritage Committee was responsible for overseeing the ICT sector as well. The committee has many institutions to oversee, which is why it was decided to set up a seperate committee for the ICT sector.
The establishment of a separate committee for the ICT sector is important to hold the sector accountable, the committee report said. The committee will be created after the decision of the General Committee is passed in parliament.