The newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Abia State Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Ejike Ekwueme, has charged the staff of the ministry to key into the ongoing digital transformation in the state.
Mr. Ekwueme made this statement during the maiden meeting of the ministry held at the ministry’s conference hall.
He emphasized that the present administration, led by His Excellency Governor Alex Chioma Otti, is transitioning the civil service system from analogue to digital.
According to him, “Very soon, no staff will be carrying files around as every office work will be done with the computer system, and it is those staff who are computer literate that will benefit from this change.”
He encouraged staff to utilize their leisure time to upgrade their computer skills, noting that “opportunities, they say, come but once.”
Mr. Ekwueme further declared that the era of truancy and absenteeism in the ministry is over, adding that a new directive is in place to stop the salaries of workers who fail to report to work. He urged all staff to take their duties seriously, pledging to work efficiently and effectively with them as the newly appointed Permanent Secretary.
In his address, the Director of Administration at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mr. Kingsley Ibeh, also encouraged the staff to use the privileged information shared by the Permanent Secretary to enhance their computer literacy skills and remain relevant in the civil service system.
According to Mr. Ibeh, “Most examinations set by the present administration are done with the computer, and if you are not computer literate, you won’t pass the exam,” citing the recently concluded Permanent Secretary examinations as an example.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of Staff Welfare, Mr. Nkwoacha Vincent, appreciated the new Permanent Secretary for providing valuable information about the digitalization of the civil service.
He also urged the staff to take advantage of the information shared and improve their skills to align with the evolving demands of the civil service system.
