KAMPALA- The Minister for ICT and National Guidance Hon Dr. Baryomunsi commended Kyambogo University for championing the welfare Persons with Disabilities and promoting their rehabilitation in Uganda.
Minister Baryomunsi made the remarks today while speaking as the Chief Guest at the Kyambogo University “Research Dissemination workshop on Digital Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities” and thanked the University management for the landmark workshop of the persons gifted by God differently.
The Minster pledged to find time for engagement with the University for further collaboration with the Ministry especially in establishment of a digital multimedia laboratory and called on everyone to continue embracing technology since the digital revolution that is now inevitable and a fast paced driver for social-economic transformation.
The Minister said that the cutting edge technologies like the robotics technologies and other disruptive technologies may leave Africa further behind if the governments and Universities don’t invest in Research and Innovation in the fourth industrial revolution.
The Minister thanked the University management for for Supporting Research Innovation and hailed Dr Robinah Kalemeera for supporting persons with disabilities through research that supports inclusion of People With Disabilities.
The Minster requested that the University also Embraces Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) so as to help the graduates especially PWDs to find employment without any biases.
He also tasked researchers at Universities to always make sure their research findings always reach policy makers and said he is ready to be the ambirical cord between University Research and Government.
Meanwhile Minister Baryomunsi has today officiated as a Keynote speaker at the International Day for Universal acess to Information (IDUAI), at Makerere University at the event which was organized by the Makerere Department of Journalism in conjuction with Africa Freedom of information Centre (AFIC), Twaweza and Uganda Human Rights commission in partnership with Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
Dr Baryomunsi noted thathe appreciated critique and feedback to government but also encourages the youth to use the internet wisely and productively especially with the now becoming popular Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
Minister Baryomunsi strongly affirmed that no journalist or media practioner should be harrased by the Police saying that the Security also needs more capacity building on how to work with the media and also warned the provocative journalists who sometimes become a danger of their own.
He said mutual respect, professionalism and continuous investment in education is very important for the much needed harmony and observed that the poor working condition of journalists is now becoming a major reason for gutter journalism in the country and therefore called upon Media Managers to take the matter of employee remuneration very seriously.
The Minister said government has started a TV program dubbed the “Front Bench ” to host Ministers and their Permanent secretaries on UBC that shall air weekly and the Minsters and Permanent Secretaries are expected to give track and accountability of their activity to the Public and also revealed that Makerere University radio shall be re-instated to boost the training of journalism students.
