The Oyo State Government has trained 40 junior staff members, within Grade Level 3-6 on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), emphasising the need for them to master technological skills.
A statement signed by the Coordinating Director, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Gideon Alade, says the Permanent Secretary (PS)who oversees activities at the Ministry of Establishment and Training, Mr Paul Oyekunle, declared open a series of a one-day workshop for personnel in the state, held at the Simeon Adebo Staff Development Center, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Oyekunle noted that the training is in accordance with best practices towards enhancing capacity building, and efficient and effective service delivery within the overall content of the civil/public service.
The PS said the training, which is in series, is a refresher course for key officers across ministries, departments and agencies of government, and is expected to last for three weeks with different related topics of discussion.
He explained that the series of training has buttressed the government’s commitment to workers’ development and welfare as the present administration, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, believes that only a well-trained workforce can best serve the government and the governed.
Oyekunle stated that the training was timely and appropriate, just as the government was striving to promote and leverage technology for effective governance and discharge of duties, disclosing that it was the first its kind in the second term of the Makinde-led administration and would portend a great omen for the service as more of it is expected in future.
He said: “Training is very important and there is no substitute for it. Without training, there is no way the skill of the officer can be enhanced, no way their capacity can be built up and anyone who wants to be relevant in society must embrace Information and Communication Technology (ICT) because it is the currency to be traded within the contemporary world.”
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director, of Management, Secretarial, Computer and Business Studies, Mrs Stella Okedum, said the series of one-day workshops is to develop and enhance participants’ duty delivery ability, particularly in the use of ICT tools and skills for overall improved service delivery.
She enjoined the participants to use the training opportunity for personal development, for the benefit of their ministries, departments and agencies, and the civil/public service at large.
Courses lined up in the series of the three-week workshop are; Basic ICT Application Programme (Batch II), Basic ICT Application Programme (Batch III), ICT Skill Improvement Workshop, Capacity Building Workshop on Secretarial Competence Development, and Effective Office Coordination Strategies.
Others are Effective PowerPoint Presentation Skills, and Deployment of MS PowerPoint Skill for Effective Presentation.
Dominica Nwabufo
