This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
Published on September 24, 2019, by JOHN WALUBENGO
Good governance is about having structures, processes, and procedures in place to ensure an organization achieves its objectives and is accountable to its stakeholders.
While many corporates have established oversight structures for typical business functions like finance, accounts, and human resources, the same cannot be said for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) operations.
According to John Walubengo, a lecturer at Multimedia University of Kenya, Faculty of Computing and IT, 'ICTs are always at the heart of scandals in the public sector, particularly in procurement, deployment, or operation of new ICT systems.'
He notes that cases of digital or electronic fraud, hacking, or data breaches are on the rise in the private sector, causing significant reputational damage or regulatory penalties.
Walubengo attributes this to the lack of board-level oversight for ICT matters, which is not at the same level of maturity as its usage within the organization and beyond.
He argues that the customer demand for convenient and efficient services has led to accelerated automation, without commensurate oversight at the board level.
As a result, ICT directors have found themselves in a 'sweet-spot' with massive budgets and little accountability to the board or shareholders.
Walubengo emphasizes that it is high time for public and private organizations to give ICT governance the attention it deserves.
