Digitalisation promotes transparency, efficiency -Yabo

The Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office (SDO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, has said that the office under the leadership of Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, is doing everything possible to promote transparency in the service, which is one of the cardinal objectives of the present administration.

He said this on Wednesday in Abuja after a monitoring visit to one of the centres for the maiden Computer-Based Test (CBT) on Mandatory Confirmation and Combined Confirmation/Promotion (COMPRO) Examinations.

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The examination is organized by the OHCSF in conjunction with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for senior and junior cadres in the public service.

According to Engr. Yabo, the exercise, which is the first of its kind to take place in the Federal Civil Service, is a demonstration of government commitment to digitalization.

“Before now the said examinations in the service were conducted manually. This goes a long way in showcasing the commitment of the office in institutionalizing transparency and efficiency in service, while leveraging on technology,” Yabo said.

The Permanent Secretary urged public servants, who have pivotal roles to play in governance, to be computer savvy, as they are in the era of critical knowledge, hence the ability to use computer is key. He also urged members of the service of an earlier directive by the Head of Service of the Federation that computer literacy is mandatory.

On his part, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede said that the partnership with the OHCSF is a welcome development, which will minimize wastage of government investments, thereby boosting the economy.

Deputy Director, Communications, OHCSF, Mallam Mohammed Ahmed, said that this exercise is taking place concurrently at 69 JAMB centres across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT, while about 13,000 officers from the core Civil Service, the Nigeria Police, and other Para-military and specialized Agencies are taking part in this year’s examinations.

“Accordingly, in line with global best practices, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has maintained that the Federal Civil Service must be transformed leveraging on ICT in all its activities and processes. “Digitization, being one of the six pillars of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021- 2025 (FCSSIP25) is to ensure that such activities and work processes become more efficient, transparent, cost-effective, seamless as well as fast,” Ahmed said.