مدیریت اطلاعات بخش دولتی در شرق و جنوب آفریقا: مفاهیم برای اف او آی, دموکراسی و یکپارچگی در دولت

Sound management of information contained in records and other information systems in the public sector is the sine qua non of democratic governance. For effective access to government held information, Freedom of Information (FOI) legislations impose significant duties and responsibilities on public authorities to give access to information. FOI legislation is premised on the principle that effective records management enables authorities to enforce wider government agenda to increase openness, transparency, trust and accountability in the public sector. Effective access, management and exploitation of official information are the means by which governments can demonstrate accountability and transparency in the use of public resources, expose corruption and fraud, protect citizens’ rights, as well as improve overall service delivery to citizens. This paper reviews management of public sector information contained in records and implications for enhancing freedom of access to information, democracy and integrity in governments within east and southern Africa. The authors point out that as democracy and good governance gain momentum especially in developing world, governments in east and southern Africa have one critical factor that is yet to receive adequate attention, namely the role played by information management in enhancing democracy, transparency, accountability and integrity in government. Besides, though constitutions of most east and southern African countries provide for the right and freedom of access to information as a tool to enhance democracy and good governance, state interference from time to time hampers such rights and freedoms to be exercised. The authors proffer the way forward for east and southern Africa.

The business of government is to protect the public good through such mechanisms as efficient and effective governance, protection of rights, demonstration of accountability and transparency in its activities and that of its public officers. These roles and tenets of government are predicated upon efficient management, access, and use of information. The motivation for sound management of information in custody of government is borne out of concerns and the need for (OECD, 2003) efficiency and productivity; sharing of information by different units in government; reaching out to the public; and increased pressure on government to demonstrate accountability and transparency in the use of resources. Principles of good governance namely accountability, transparency, rule of law and others depend to a large extent on the free flow of information within government. It is also important that information in custody of government is not only available but also should be made accessible to the public. The onus is therefore on governments to put in place effective national and institutional frameworks including adequate capacity to harness, facilitate and enhance information capture, organization, maintenance and use. This framework can similarly be used by citizens and civil society groups to monitor various aspects of the governance process including the government's own administrative efficiency and effectiveness in achieving its stated service-related objectives and targets. The availability of relevant and timely information empowers citizens’ and civil society groups, enabling them to effectively participate in the governance process as well as hold government accountable. The United States government and its allies after the terrorist attacks on its soil on September 11, 2001 put in place mechanisms for sharing intelligence on terrorism. This action has contributed positively to the fight against terrorism. In Europe and North America, the concept of information management as a broad subject contributing towards corporate governance is significantly gaining acceptance. Moreover, information is a vital resource for the growth and in safeguarding the interests of institutions, business organizations, nation states and individuals (OECD, 2003). Records management although a relatively new discipline among other information professions has emerged in recent years to become a major player in the management and protection of corporate information resources both in paper and electronic formats. Sound records management is expected to enhance service delivery, promote efficiency accountability, good governance and integrity in government.

This paper set out to assess public sector information management and its implications for enhancing democracy and integrity in government in east and southern Africa. The business of any government is to protect the public good through an efficient and effective governance system that enhances protection of rights, demonstrates accountability and integrity in its activities and that of its public officers. Governments have also the role of establishing prudent policies and structures to facilitate free flow of information towards and from citizens for them [citizens] to ensure their leaders are accountable in the decisions they make. For governments to meet these obligations, effective information management contained in official records is critical. However, within east and southern Africa, sound records management upon which democracy and good governance is predicated is hampered by several factors that include among others, poor records management practices, lack of FOI, inadequate skills, poorly developed IT and telecommunication infrastructure and inadequate funding to agencies with statutory responsibility for records. For governments in east and southern Africa to enhance access to government held information in order to promote democracy, accountability, transparency and integrity in government, International Records Management Trust provides benchmarks that cover staff competencies in maintaining software and hardware; training programmes for information management staff; human resource strategy for e-records; information management policies and responsibilities; internal and public awareness programme of information management; guidelines for management of electronic records; supportive legal and regulatory framework for information management; and Freedom of Information and protection of privacy. Moreover, as governments’ activities become carried out online in electronic format, legislative and regulatory frameworks will be critical to ensuring the availability of reliable evidence of activities transacted to protect the rights, obligations and entitlements of all parties involved. In addition, national governments need to modernise, clarify and harmonise laws and regulations so that public and private sectors alike can make the best possible technical decisions about how to produce and keep e-records across jurisdictions with a minimum of uncertainty about how their legal rights will be affected.