By Stephen Ojo
The Niger state government has commenced training of 22,000 of her workforce in the use of digital facilities as the state concludes plans for the take off of e- governance.
The State Commissioner of Communication Technology and Digital Economy, Suleiman Isah, has said while speaking in interview, he granted to the media in Minna, the Niger state capital.
He disclosed during the interview that the administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago decided to embrace e-governance as a major step towards efficient delivering of good governance and realization of the “New Niger Agenda” .
He said: “Government is not only determined to enhance the rapid growth of the digital economy of Niger State but has also recognised the vital role civil servants would play in driving this policy which required adequate training on the use of ICT in their offices.”
While assuring that the implementation of the e-governance policy will not affect the job, the Commissioner explained that the ICT training of the first batch of 3,000 civil servants has commenced in Minna.
He therefore allayed the fear in some quarters of possible downsizing of workforce in favour of the use of technology, adding that, ” there is no plan whatsoever to retrench civil servants but to enhance their knowledge in the implementation of government policies”.
He urged the state civil servants to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire digital skills during the training sessions to become ICT compliance and more efficient in carrying out their duties “.