Page 8 - Professorial Lecture - Prof Nengomasha

and reported by Kazavanga (2022) indicated that (11) O/M/As in the Namibian
public service had implemented and had access to the EDRMS.
Recently the President of Namibia, Haige Geingob reiterated the importance
of ICTs as he called for their use to enhance productivity and development
for the welfare of the citizens (Namibia Press Agency, 2022). The 2022 Network
Readiness Index (NRI) which reports the network-based readiness landscape
rates Namibia as an upper-middle-income country, performing well in online
access to financial accounts and patent applications; and weak in mobile
apps development; e-commerce legislation and mobile broadband internet
traffic within the country (Portulans Institute, n. d.). These factors have a bearing
on Namibia’s e-records readiness which in turn impacts the management of
electronic records.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of electronic access to
records, as staff worked from home due to the protocols to contain the spread
of the highly infectious disease, communicating and doing business online. As
Government’s Offices, Ministries and Agencies focus on upgrading or developing
electronic systems and processes to improve their online presence, they should
also ensure that some of the records, information, and data created and
collected today will be part of the nation’s history. Electronic records are only as
good and useful if they are trustworthy i. e. have integrity, authenticity, reliability
and usability. Electronic records-readiness assessments of the public service of
Namibia report that Namibia may not fully realise the benefits of e-government
if it fails to maintain trustworthy electronic records.

The rest of the paper is organised within the following subheadings: background
to records and archives management transformation, records and archives
management programme, impact of ICTs on records and archives management,
education and training, research and professional associations. It ends with some
conclusions and recommendations.

2. Background to records and archives management transformation

Records are recorded information, and information is widely regarded as a
key strategic resource for institutions, the basis for doing business and delivering
services. Information is at the heart of institutional operations, and its importance
continues to grow. Transacting business and buying and selling goods and
services over the Internet has tremendous transformational potential. Duranti
and Xie (2012) discuss the relationship between knowledge management (KM)

Prof. Cathrine Nengomasha | Professorial Lecture 8