Friday 31 May, 2024
DICT Executive Manager for DevOps providing an overview of the User Acceptance Test for the Online Police Clearance through the E-Government Portal at Morauta Haus, Port Moresby, today.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC), successfully conducted the User Acceptance Test for the new Online Police Clearance service today.
This service, integrated into the E-Government Portal, aims to streamline the process of obtaining police clearances, making it more efficient and accessible for citizens.
Present at the User Acceptance Test were RPNGC’s Assistant Commissioner, Crimes Mr. Hodges Ette, Acting Director Intelligence Mr. Kasa Wumber, and officers from each of the responsible divisions of the RPNGC.
The DICT team was led by Executive Manager for Development Operations (DevOps) Mr. Joshua Pomaloh, along with Manager for Monitoring and Evaluation Mr. Jessy Sekere, Business Analyst Mr. Stanley Sungi, and the DevOps team.
Inspector Cornelius Toti, Digital Transformation Officer (DTO) RPNGC, led the initial presentation, highlighting the importance of the portal. Inspector Toti stated, “We will run through the version one prototype of the Online Police Clearance through the E-Government Portal designed and ready to be deployed by the Department of ICT.”
He elaborated on the broader implications, explaining that this service is part of the RPNGC’s ICT Rehabilitation Plan and aligns with the Digital Government Act 2021 and the Digital Transformation Policy 2022.
“Our Police Clearance service is the first service to be onboarded into the E-Gov portal, as the national government intends to put all services online and in one platform.
“The police clearance is the first one, and it is a great step forward for both the RPNGC and DICT,” Inspector Toti added.
Mr. Joshua Pomaloh, DICT Executive Manager for DevOps, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made despite the challenges faced.
“This is a milestone for us as the Police clearance is the first service that will be onboarded into the E-Government Portal.
The user journey persona took us quite a while, but we did it because we want to do away with people standing in lines to access this sort of basic service,” said Mr. Pomaloh.
During the walkthrough, the DICT DevOps team, in collaboration with the RPNGC ICT division, demonstrated the user-friendly features of the new system.
The process includes two-factor authentication and account creation with specific credentials such as official name, registered mobile number, email, and ID photo.
Once registered, users can access the Police Clearance service, complete the application online, and undergo a one-time fingerprint verification at a designated police station or forensic office.
The portal is also integrated with the Department of Finance payment system, allowing for seamless online payments.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Crimes Hodges Ette, commented on the significance of this initiative in combating crime and forgery.
“I am grateful that this progress is happening at a time when crimes are increasing in terms of forgery, and we must look to eradicate that,” ACP Ette noted.
He also highlighted the need for a legislative framework to support this process, stating, “We need to have a legislative basis for which this process is hosted and operated to guide us and the service, and ensure that all entities involved are protected. I would like to factor that into legislation that I am working on.”
The successful test run is a testament to both entities’ objectives in modernizing public service processes, ensuring they are more accessible, secure, and efficient for all citizens. The collaboration between RPNGC and DICT sets a precedent for future digital transformations within the government.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Crimes Hodges Ette during the Police Clearance User Acceptance Test meeting.