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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) has commenced training for 250 civil and public servants on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for effective service delivery in Edo State.
Speaking on the essence of the training in Benin, the Director General of JOOPSA, Imuwahen, Ajoonu, said the aim of the course is to empower civil and public servants with the requisite knowledge to enhance government operations, provide better services to citizens, make data-driven decisions.
She said all the modules in the course have been designed to introduce the state civil and public service workforce to Artificial Intelligence
Imuwahen added that AI, the world over, is transforming the way governments operate and provide services to citizens.
The JOOPSA DG maintained that understanding the fundamentals of AI remains essential for government officials to make informed decisions, develop effective policies, and harness the potential of AI technologies for the public good.
Speaking further on the importance of AI, she said “because AI can analyse vast amounts of data quickly, identify trends and provide insights, help government make more informed decisions, especially in areas like policy development, resource allocation, and crisis management.
“It can also, automate routine and time-consuming tasks, allowing government workers to focus on more complex and value-added activities.
“This not only increases efficiency but also leads to cost savings in the long run.”
Speaking at the inaugural session of the programme, the lead facilitator, Professor Yinka Omorogbe (SAN) said that everyone in government could leverage AI to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness of government operations.
She said government workers trained in AI could, for instance, harness predictive analytics to anticipate trends and issues. For example, AI could predict traffic congestion, allowing city planners to optimize traffic management, or it could be deployed to forecast disease outbreaks, enabling health agencies to allocate resources more effectively.
Omorogbe added that in line with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s E-Governance drive, the ongoing AI training programme is geared to, among other things, support workers to make more data-driven decisions, resulting in transparency accountability and value-for-money outcomes.
