By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THE Edo State government through the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), a public service training institution has commenced a 2-day training on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for government officials which is aimed at empowering Civil and Public Servants with the requisite knowledge to enhance government operations, provide better services to citizens, make data-driven decisions.

Two hundred and fifty government officials participated in the capacity building training.

AI, the world over, is transforming the way governments operate and provide services to citizens and to understand the fundamentals of AI remains essential for government officials to make informed decisions, develop effective policies, and harness its potential technologies for public good.

According to the Director General of JOOPSA, Imuwahen Ajoonu, “all the modules in the course have been designed to introduce the Edo State Civil and Public Service Workforce to Artificial Intelligence.”

She reiterated that “because AI can analyse vast amounts of data quickly, identify trends and provide insights, it could help Government make more informed decisions, especially in areas like policy development, resource allocation, and crisis management.”

According to her, AI “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.”
At the inaugural session of the programme, the lead Facilitator Professor Yinka Omorogbe (SAN) demonstrated to participants that everyone in Government could leverage Artificial Intelligence to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness of government operations.

Government workers trained in AI could, for instance, harness predictive analytics to anticipate trends and issues. For example, AI could predict traffic congestions, allowing city planners to optimize traffic management, or it could be deployed to forecast disease outbreaks, enabling health agencies to allocate resources more effectively.

In line with His Excellency Governor Godwin Nogheghase 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.