Yemi-Esan announces full digitalization of HoS, says MDAs ‘ll begin adoption

She made this disclosure at a public lecture to mark the 2023 Civil Service Week, themed: ‘Digitalization of Work Processes in the Public Service: A gateway to Efficient Resource Utilization and National Development’, in Abuja.

She said that from now on, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation would begin to handle personal and policy files scanned and stored in digital format, including having workflow processes transacted within the office digitally.

Commending a few Ministries and Agency for cueing into the digitalization agenda, she expressed optimism that others would, in no time, begin the digitalization processes as part of moves to fall in line with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021 – 2025, FCSSIP25.

She said: “In view of the present paradigm, it is clear that both the present and future of the Public Service lies in digitalisation, as a veritable tool for its effective functioning, and the delivery of prompt, Citizen-centric and cost-effective public services.

“The Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25) which is designed to transform the Federal Civil Service to a world class Service has noted the need for digitalisation as its 5th pillar (Enterprise Content Management) and also an enabler. In this regard, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation initiated and has sustained intensive engagements with the brass of its stakeholders, especially the organized private sector and development partners to adequately drive the digitalisation of our work processes and other aspects of the Plan.

“Following the very extensive work carried out to put in place the required mechanisms for the smooth transition from physical handling of tasks, I am pleased to state that the Office of the Head of Service has gone digital with its work processes. By this, I mean, all the personal and policy files have been scanned and stored in digital format; workflow processes are now transacted within the office digitally.

“All official correspondence in form of memos, internal and external circulars, are processed electronically through the ECM Solution and this is one of the great milestones being celebrated today. From the Service-wide perspective, all MDAs are running with the digitalisation programme and are at different stages of implementation; with a mandate for all to achieve full migration by the end of 2025.

“It is pleasing to note, some MDAs have also deployed some ECM solutions for their workflows. According to an ECM Composite Readiness Survey conducted in May this year, the Ministry of Transport has deployed the solution, while a number of other Ministries are on the verge of deploying the ECM having crossed the 80 percent threshold.”

She added that by exploring and institutionalizing the use of digital technology, as well as revamping the core values enunciated above, the HoS will complement the current administration’s efforts for good governance.

On his part, the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Tukur Bello Ingawa, while corroborating the importance of a digitalized public service, said efforts of the Federal Government, FG, would be a waste should the Civil Service perform abysmally.

“It is expedient for the Nigerian Civil Service to adopt technology, particularly considering the fact that the level of development of any nation is increasingly an indication of the performance or non performance of its public service. As we are aware, in implementing its mandate the Government makes policy decisions to improve the well being of its people. The success of these decisions depends essentially on the Public Service as the government cannot achieve its objectives without an efficient and effective public service”, he said.

Furthermore, he also disclosed that from now on, the promotional exams of Civil Servants will now be conducted online, adding that all civil servants must keep themselves abreast with the application of new technologies.

Stating also that the digitalization of the commission brought a drastic reduction of ghost workers and fake appointment letters, he advocated for severe punishment for those who are not credibly employed in the civil service.

Delivering the public lecture, a professor of Economic Policy, Blavatnik School of Government and Economics Department, Professor Stefan Dercon, called on Civil Servants to express motivation in ensuring that the digital transformation is appropriately driven.

More so, he said, with the digitalization initiative, interaction in the system and with citizens, data creation, and management systems would significantly improve. However, He identified inclusion as a significant challenge, saying that the Civil Service should not be a service for a relatively few but for the citizens in general.