'Use the internet responsibly'

The minister of information and communication technology, Stanley Simataa, says there are still some drawbacks that frustrate the government's efforts towards digital inclusion despite significant progress made in this regard.

Speaking at the third annual Namibia Internet Governance Forum (NamIGF) yesterday, Simataa pointed at the pervasive lack of digital literacy among the majority of rural people, as well as the lack of digital skills in key areas of the local ICT industry, as some of these challenges.

He added that the persistent lack of appetite for innovations, coupled with the absence of an innovation ecosystem, also frustrate innovators.

He also cautioned that given heightened cyber-security threats, more attention should be paid to the security of personal and organisational data.

“Any laxity in our ecosystem has potential to compromise the security of the internet and subsequently the trust and confidence of users. Such threats need to be properly mitigated.

“Going forward, we will continue to rely on your sustained indulgence as stakeholders in such matters. As a country, Namibia should continue to derive maximum utility from the internet,” said Simataa.

He also commended the founding and outgoing NamIGF Working Group members for having laid a solid foundation upon which successive leaderships should build.

“Your efforts will certainly guarantee the sustainability of the operations of this forum. I have no doubt that the new leadership will consolidate the operations of the forum.

“While thanking the outgoing leadership for a job well done, I encourage them to continue to be at the disposal of the forum for guidance where necessary.

“I implore you to resist the infectious tendency that seems to have emerged in many organisations where former leaders become the most vocal critics - a tendency that is not desirable at all.

“Yes, you can offer alternatives but such alternatives should be advanced in conformity with established institutional protocols,” he urged.