Govt sets up committee to protect information system network

The committee is charged with ensuring authentic software for public information systems.

Following an alert by the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC) on the risk of financial losses the State suffers from the use of unlicensed software and information network systems, the Prime Minister; Head of Government signed a Decision on 20th February, 2015, creating a committee to regulate the sector.

The Committee for the Technical and Compliance Control of the Software Assets of the State, Decentralised Territorial Units and their respective branches, is headed by the Minister Delegate in the Presidency in charge of Supreme State Audit, Henri Eyebe Ayissi. Members of the committee are drawn from different ministerial departments, ANTIC and Telecommunications Regulatory Board, amongst others.

The committee has as mission to control the use of licenced software information network of public and para-publuc institutions, putting in place of a policy to secure information systems of public administrations and decentralised entities, identification of the quantitative and qualitative software used in the public information systems amongst others.

According to Minister Eyebe Ayissi, the committee is to ensure the good functioning of State information network and systems. The committee, he added, is also expected to put in place a global prevention and management strategy of the public information network.

The committee will address the problem of information insecurity and cyber criminality as well as financial loss. The main mission of the committee is to draw up a strategy for the entire public administration which will ensure that the acquisition of computer equipment and their use conform to international standards.

The committee’s objective is to ameliorate the performance of public administration and ensure information security.