The Commissioner for Science and Technology in Abia State, Nigeria, Chima Oriaku, has announced the government’s commitment to fully digitalizing the state’s civil service by March 2024.
The initiative aims to automate the entire state government workflow and transition from paper-based to digital formats for enhanced efficiency. It is one of the initiatives of the Otti-led government, geared toward transparent governance.
The move focuses on automating the workflow of the state government, converting manual processes into digital formats. The goal is to create a centralized data management system that facilitates easy access to government work environments, files, and project plans.
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Challenges of Analog Processes
Oriaku highlighted the challenges of keeping files in paper and analog formats, making them susceptible to losses and destruction due to various factors. The move to digitalization of the state’s workflow is expected to address these challenges and improve overall access and management of government data.
The digitalization effort is also aimed at easing access to government data, enhancing work efficiency, and increasing overall output. The commissioner emphasized the need for a central data management system that enables quick access to information at the push of a button.
“We should have a centralized data management system so that at any time, at the punch of a button, by a government official, you will access data that you can work with.
“That is why we are in this partnership with Xerox Nigeria Limited to give us their support in that plan,” he said.
Oriaku said the digitalization initiative is to make Abia State workers more efficient and improve work processes. He added that the transition from analog to digital systems is expected to bring about accountability, reliability, productivity, and efficiency.
Partnership with Xerox Nigeria Limited
The government of Abia State has entered into a partnership with Xerox Nigeria Limited to support the digitalization plan.
Femi Abidoye, General Manager (Marketing) at Xerox Nigeria Limited, noted that the partnership was initiated by the governor’s desire for quality service delivery.
“The objective is to make Abia state workers work smarter and to deliver on state objectives. To simplify work processes, procedures, and work environment, and to move from the analog system to the digital system era where there is accountability, reliability, productivity, and efficiency at the end of the day,” he said.
“We are partnering with the Abia Ministry of Science and Technology to ensure there is cost control and to correct the record of everybody so that no data is lost at the end of the day. That is of uttermost importance.”
Oriaku stated the government’s commitment to completing the digitalization of the civil service by March 2024.
The move toward digitalizing government processes aligns with global trends in leveraging technology for improved governance, accessibility, and efficiency. It is expected to contribute to better service delivery and data management within the Abia State civil service.