The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, alongside the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Innovation council, have kicked off a two-day Stakeholder Consultative workshop on the Draft National BPO Policy.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from the Government and Private sector.
The government of Uganda embarked on an initiative to develop the BPO sector in Uganda as one of the significant areas to be exploited to address the issue of unemployment amongst educated youths. Several issues have hampered the BPO industry in Uganda in the different parts of the ecosystem. The National BPO Policy will serve as the basis for the development of legislation that will enhance the regulatory environment of the BPO sector for the harmonised coordination and promotion of a BPO ecosystem that will attract investment, increase job creation and enable local solutions to compete on the global market.
Speaking at the workshop, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National guidance Dr. Aminah Zawedde said, “On average, over 100,000 students graduate from higher institutions of learning annually, and they all expect jobs after completing their studies. The supply of skilled manpower is high. This Policy is one of the initiatives aimed at creating an environment where the demand for that manpower matches its supply.”
She urged the participants to contribute to improving the policy and boosting its subsequent operationalisation. She further highlighted that the draft policy is in line with the Government of Uganda’s efforts to create jobs through utilization of ICTs.
Also speaking at the workshop, the chairman of the BPO and Innovations council Prof. William Bazeyo highlighted the policy as a much-needed solution to youth unemployment.
He said that “once completed, the National BPO policy shall provide a clear and reliable framework under which all BPO players will thrive. The policy shall also create visibility and improve international competitiveness for the local BPO Industry by prescribing regulatory frameworks, reforms and projects that are relevant to the growth of the industry.
The National Business Process Outsourcing Policy intends to spur economic development in the Country through optimal labour utilisation. It aims at enhancing efficiency and effectiveness through the introduction of ICT-enabled innovative solutions to support business processes and promote the BPO industry in the country for sustainable development. In addition, the Policy is intended to promote the export of BPO services by private sector operators by leveraging technology.
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