By Sam Tyav, Makurdi
Paramount ruler of the Idoma nation, the Och’Idoma, Chief John Elaigwu, has called on leaders in various areas to acquire necessary skills in digitalization for better governance in Benue State, North-Central Nigeria.
Speaking in his palace in Otukpo while receiving the management team of Benue Public Service Institute, the Och’Idoma noted that digitalization should start with leaders who would in turn train others.
“Digitalization must start from the head down the ladder. Leaders have to be trained so that when memos or application are sent, they should be able to act on it on time,” he posited.
According to him, top government functionaries should be made to go through the training before they,in turn, train their subordinates.
The first class royal father lamented the security situation in the state, saying “we have to be telling ourselves the truth; identifying the culprits is key to ending insecurity in the State.”
Chief Elaigwu, who appreciated the management team and welcomed them to the palace informed his guests that training was relevant and being himself a trainer before retiring from service, he revealed that skill was key to delivery on productivity.
He promised to key into the programmes of the institute so as to give all the necessary support for the institute to succeed.
Earlier, the Director General (DG), Benue Public Service Institute, Professor Terkura Tarnande, who appreciated the monarch, sought for collaboration between the institute and the Och’Idoma for maximum performance.
Professor Tarnande told the monarch of the training of top civil servants and traditional rulers in digitalization through e-governance, in partnership with an Abuja-based firm, Digital Bridge, and the Benue State Digital Company.
The DG lamented that there were cases of insecurity in the state from Agatu to Kwande and other areas, stressing the need for major stakeholders to brainstorm for a better result.
He pointed out that a conference was being put in place by the institute and appealed to the monarch to attend the even titled ‘Conference on Homeland Security’ so as to make his own contributions.
Tarnande also revealed the institute’s challenges to include infrastructure, financial resources as well as personnel, among others.
