Niger State Ministry of Communication, Technology and Digital Economy in collaboration with a private ICT firm Tech 4 Dev,(Technology for Development) has organized a one week long sectorial ICT training for civil servants nominated from Ministries and Agencies of the State government.
The ICT training was held at CBT centre, College of Education, Minna,over the weekend.
The Head of Service,Niger State,Engineer Abubakar Salisu, while declaring the training open, disclosed that plans are ongoing by the State government to pull all ICT cadre to the Ministry of Communication to be
re-deployed to other MDA’s.
Head of service who was representated by the Permanent Secretary,Public Service,Dr.James Kolo,emphasized that the importance of ICT in the contemporary society can not be over emphasized,adding that it is on record that two decades ago,the state has brought the e-payment system into the civil service for the payments of salaries,contract awards,scholarship payment to students and tax administration among others.
He disclosed that government had earlier initiated the e-compliance training for the civil servants to be ICT complience and made it mandatory to acquired technology for daily office routine.
“You cannot beat ICT but rather join ICT,hence,ICT carved you out in the system,let us all embrace this crusade and propagate the importance of ICT in our socio- economic endeavors for the overall interest of the State”.He added.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Communication Technology and Digital Economy, Alhaji Suleiman Isah in his Keynote address stated that the ongoing digital transformation, is in complience with the state government adoption of e- governance practices such as online leave application,tax clearance as well as application of computer base exams for promotion.
Suleiman Isa said the essence of the training is for the participants particularly civil servants,to equipt them to be computer literate in order to be able to improve efficiency and service delivery in their field of specialization.
Suleiman Isa explained that the training is a pilot system, pointing out that (3) persons were drawn from about 154 MDA’s in the state to participate in the training.
Suleiman Isa while emphasizing the need for the participants to take the training serious, he urged them not to see technology as taking over their job rather it would bring about efficiency and prepare them for retirement and to embrace technology in their day to day affairs after retirement.
He expressed optimism that with the adoption of e-governance,the training will be of emmence advantage to civil servants.
Earlier,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Abubakar Sadiq Musa,explained that the training was aimed to equipt civil servants with essential digital skills and knowledge that is crucial in the evolving digital economy.
He advised workers to equipt themselves with necessary skills and knowledge to harness the power of technology for the betterment of their work and communities, adding that knowledge and skills they acquired will not only benefit them as individuall but,will also contribute to the overall digital transformation of the State.
