BPSR Repositioning Nigeria’s Public Service – Arabi

Director-general of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Mr Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, has said the Nigerian public service is gradually being repositioned as a result of the intervention of their agency.

He stated this in his welcome address at the Nigeria Govtech Conference and Awards Ceremony, with the theme, “Advancing Public Service Reforms Through Digital Transformation”.

The event was held at the International Conference Centre, in Abuja.

Arabi said, “Permit me to state that as an engine of reform in the country, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms has taken the steps to strengthen good governance and ensure public service becomes transparent, accountable and citizens’ centre. I would like to reiterate a few of these initiatives that have helped to advance the Service in a positive direction.”

According to a statement by the Bureau’s principal information officer, Aliyu Umar Aliyu, the DG further said that BPSR is currently partnering with the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, to introduce and promote adoption of block-chain technology to deepen accountability and transparency in the operations and services of public institutions.

He added that, “We are working with NITDA, NCC, Digital Bridge, Galaxy Backbone, Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, NIRA to commence the process of training 500,000 public servants on digital skills.”

The BPSR DG explained that the Nigeria Govtech Conference and Awards is a reform initiative designed to bring governments at the federal, state, local government and actors in the technology industry together to discuss and identify ways new and emerging trends in ICT can be used to transform public service and improve the general wellbeing of Nigerians.

In his keynote address, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) Senator George Akume, thanked BPSR and Nigeria GovTech Initiative for their partnership and the efforts they put into organising the Nigeria Govtech Conference and Awards ceremony.

He said the theme of the ceremony: “Advancing Public Service Reforms through Digital Transformation” was apt and coming at no better time than when the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to repositioning the public service for a strong global competitive advantage.