MANAGING Director of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Bashorun Askia Ogieh, has harped on the importance of a wider application of information technology as a precursor in strengthen the country’s democratic process through the reduction of human element in transmission of election results.

Bashorun Askia, who spoke over the weekend at the elective annual general meeting/10^th anniversary of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, ANAN, Warri branch held at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun, noted that the intensity with which Nigerians clamoured for electronic transmission of election results showed that the people are aware of the real obstacles to credible elections.

Represented by his Executive Assistant, Mrs. Anthonette Dick-Duvwarovwo, stated that the national assembly is still embroiled in the controversy surrounding the restriction on incorporating the electronic transmission of election results into the Electoral Act adding that the widespread intervention of human element in the electoral process is a major impediment to having transparent and credible elections.

According to him, the same perception applies to the civil service, the engine room for government, noting that deepening the application of technology and other instruments that reduce the role of human elements will improve the quality of governance and reduce waste in the system.

He said: “I am the first to admit that the wheel of government needs the application of information technology to boost efficiency, eliminate waste, block leakages, improve accountability and instill confidence in the people that, indeed, public resources are being appropriately utilized.

“Partnering the government in this venture through continuous training, retraining, seminars and workshops by applying modern tools hold the key to a more efficient utilization of increasingly limited resources for even greater results. In a nutshell, the process of governance has to be digitized and a professional group as ours has to lead the process.

Urging the association to drive the process by designing fool-proof strategies in making government and the other sectors more accountable and transparent, he stated further that Nigeria needs ANAN to take the front row seat in charting a fresh course and making the government more transparent and responsive in the management of resources.

He commended the Warri branch of ANAN for upholding the ideals of the association, noting that the success of the changes Nigerians seek to make to make the society better will depend largely on the advocacy of professional and private sector groups as ANAN.