UNESCO, EU, Enugu Govt. partner in pushing AI digitalisation in public service
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), European Union and Enugu State Government have partnered in pushing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalisation in public service for efficient service delivery in the state.
Dr Dimitri Sanga, the Officer-in-Charge of UNESCO Office in Abuja and UNESCO representative in Nigeria, spoke of the collaboration in an address on Thursday at the ongoing Artificial Intelligence Literacy Training for Permanent Secretaries and Directors in Enugu State.
The three-day training, which is funded by the European Union (EU), is being organised by the Office of the Head of Service Enugu State in collaboration with UNESCO.
Sanga said that he was confident that the training course, with its significant milestone in relation to making ethical and informed decisions on AI, would be enriching.
According to him, the weight of designing and implementing development goals driven by AI and other emerging technologies lies on our shoulders as technocrats, administrators and policy makers.
He noted that the training was an opportunity to strengthen skills, share knowledge, and build the capacity needed for greater impact and better service delivery.
Represented by Dr Nneka Okafor, Coordinator of UNESCO Recommendations on the Ethics of AI in Nigeria, Sanga said: “It is a moment to commit ourselves to collaboration and to embrace the spirit of lifelong learning.
“I appreciate all participants and commend your dedication to being here.
“Let me especially appreciate the Head of the Civil Service of Enugu State, Dr Godwin Anigbo, for the consistency and commitment he demonstrated in positioning the state as a partner for this training.
“Such proactiveness, in no small amount, is a huge source of inspiration that encourages us as international organisations to do more.”
He encouraged the participants to make the most of this training in the public/civil service system/institution, and for the generations to come I wish you all an enriching learning opportunity.
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, General Administration in the Office of the Head of Service, Dr Ogbonna Idike, noted that the training was top notch in terms of resources persons, facilitators and environment.
Idike commended Gov. Peter Mbah for empowering the state’s Head of Service for the visionary movement of public and civil servants from analog to full digitalisation even on the positive use of AI.
“With this training for top personnel in ministries, departments and agencies, we are attuned to latest digitalisation and how to apply AI ethically for better service delivery.
“We are grateful to Gov. Mbah and Head of Service in collaborating with UNESCO and EU to launch Enugu State public/civil service system to upscale to be the best in the country,” he said.
Corroborating, one of the participants, Dr Joy Ezeh, from the Office of the Auditor-General for Local Government, commended the state government and the head of service for a well-tailored training meant to improve work efficiency.
Ezeh said that applying digitalisation and AI in the daily work processes would reduce human contact, improve speed, efficiency and service delivery as well as check human contact and manipulation.