The Federal Government is deploying digital technologies to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural development to ensure food security in the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, made this known on Monday in Abuja.
Receiving the Standard Operating Procedures, (SOPs), documents from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, the minister said it had become imperative to operate on that scale for more efficiency and productivity.
“This is in a bid to key into a technology-driven work process and procedure according to best global practices.
“To achieve a dynamic Civil Service, Government has considered it pertinent to have laid down operating standards, hence the adoption of SOPs, which would significantly bring about an effective system of service delivery not only in the Ministry of Agric but service wide,” he said.
Abubakar said that the document is also a guide for employee work process toward the full operationalization of the Enterprise Content Management with the mandate to digitilize records and automation workflow in the Ministry.
He also commended efforts of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Esan and her team for the laudable reforms going on in the Civil Service.
” I therefore urge all the respective Directors, Heads of Departments and their champions who are the owners of this documents, to ensure that the full operationalization of the developed SOPs align with the Ministry’s mandate.
” As well as vision and thus leading to the transition of its work processes to meet the demand of an increasingly technology-driven world in accordance with civil service reforms,” he said.
The Minister also encouraged management and staff to embrace the initiative and take it seriously in their various tasks, as the SOPs are globally recognised documents that provides the step-by step instructions compiled to assist all officers in the service to perform their operational tasks accurately and effectively.
In a remark, Umakhihe, expressed delight over the development (digitaliztion) in the Ministry.
” It is not far-fetched fact that the developed SOPs would act as a complete guide for staff work processes.
” It is also an aspect of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) with the mandate to digitilize Ministry’s records and automate workflow to achieve the overall improvement in information sharing and collaboration across our Agencies, Institutes and State Offices as time goes on.
“It is my fervent belief and hope that the implementation of SOPs will professionally boost the Ministry’s output and encourage all staff to give their best to the service of the nation and the ministry in particular.
“I am confident that the Ministry would benefit greatly by reducing errors, increasing productivity and efficiency and also create a safe work environment through these guides produced to resolve issues and overcome obstacles,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the departmental ‘champions’ will tomorrow Tuesday, 19th July, have a refresher training, which knowledge and skill gained will be cascaded to various states’ offices, agencies and institutes for full operationalization of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) in the Agric Sector.
In a welcome address, the Director, Human Resource Management, in the ministry, Mrs Oluwatoyin Alade, said that the policy is to advance management towards full digitalization.
“The era of paper work is gradually being phased out. Therefore, I enjoin us to key into these reforms if we must continue to be relevant as Civil Servants”, Alade said.