Federal Civil Service Going On Zero Hardcopy By 2025, Says Yemi-Esan

The Federal Government has said it is phasing out the use of hardcopy paperwork from its civil service by 2025.

The move, the government said, is part of the upgrade and digitalisation of its civil service.

Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, who announced this while inaugurating a new IT Training Centre at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, warned that staff members who failed to avail themselves with digital skills would be left behind.

She hailed the authorities for facilitating the setting up of the centre, saying the decision would add to the digital skills of the State House workers.

The Permanent Secretary at the State House, Tijjani Umar, explained that the initiative was in tandem with the current efforts of the Federal Government to fast-track the implementation of Public Sector Reforms as enshrined in the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP-2020).

This, the Permanent Secretary said, is aimed at improving service delivery, drive innovation as well as productivity, among others.

He said the establishment of the 20-seat expendable capacity ICT training centre was also given priority by the authorities in the State House to deepen delivery of core training programmes, computer-based examinations and others.

Umar recalled that a presidential approval of December 2005 established the pilot ICT offices in seven Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), including the State House.

“Since then, there has been no looking back in deepening ICT resources and infrastructure deployment in the State House,” he said.