Acquire IT skills, HoS tells civil servants

Forum 9 months ago

Acquire IT skills, HoS tells civil servants

The Head of Service, Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, on Wednesday, harped on the need for civil servants in the state to be technologically-savvy, given the current global workplace realities.

He added that the Lagos State Government was building a digitalised public service to resonate with the current realities placed on it by the challenges of meeting the needs and yearnings of the populace.

Speaking at a public lecture held on Wednesday in Alausa, Ikeja, as part of activities lined up for the 2023 Public Service Week, the Head of Service said the state public servants must adapt their service delivery to the realities of this era “where technology has become an integral part of our lives.”

Muri-Okunola added that such adaptation would be “in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda of the administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo- Olu, to continuously meet the evolving needs of our citizens.”

“In building a digitalised public service, we must recognise the fact that technology has transformed the way we interact with the populace and other stakeholders as government agencies and institutions.

“From online platforms for applying for permits and licenses to digital portals for accessing information and resources, the potential for innovation is vast,” the HoS said.

He noted that a key advantage of a digitalised public service is its ability to increase efficiency and productivity and enhance accessibility and inclusivity.

He said, “Manual processes that are time-consuming and prone to human error can be replaced by automated systems, freeing up valuable resources that can be redirected towards more critical tasks.”

Speaking on the lecture’s topic, ‘Building and sustaining a digitalised public service’, Muri-Okunola said beyond building a digitalised public service, there was a need to sustain same.

This, he said, the government was doing by ensuring that citizens and public servants alike were equipped with the necessary skills to navigate and utilise digital tools effectively.