Edo Public Service Academy Trains 540 State Workers on e-Governance

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), in a bid to drive the transformation agenda of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has trained over 540 civil servants on change management.

The Director General of JOOPSA, Ms. Imuwahen Ajoonu, disclosed this at the end of three-day training in Benin City, capital of the state.

Speaking at the end of the training, Ajoonu said that the Edo State Government led by Governor Obaseki has embarked on several ground breaking reforms such as e-governance to improve transparency and service delivery, hence the need to train the level eight to 16 officers on change management.

She said: “For Edo workers to truly drive the transformation process, they must possess a strong understanding of change management principles. That is why we trained 540 public servants in three days at JOOPSA.

“The Edo State Government, led by Governor Obaseki has embarked on several ground breaking reforms such as; e-governance to improve transparency and service delivery.

“The modules for the training were carefully curated to reflect the nuanced nature of the public service, equipping public servants with the necessary tools, to drive
change.” 

Ajoonu, a change management expert, said that an understanding of the theories of change management would equip public servants with the skills, knowledge and abilities required to become effective change champions and leaders.

She added: “They would be able to diagnose the obstacles to effective change management and contribute meaningfully to the ongoing institutional reforms. By providing our public servants with this comprehensive change management training, we are investing in their ability to lead change effectively, improve service delivery, and ultimately enhance the lives of the Edo people.

“The technological changes, such as paperless government operations and massive culture shifts, must be underpinned by continuous training to ensure that the civil/public servants understand the reasons for the ongoing reforms and their role in ensuring that the present gains are sustained way into the future.”

One of the participants, Mr. Desmond Enabulele, said that the change management training has transformed the way he has been approaching his work.

According to Enabulele, “I used to view change as a threat, but now I see it as a chance to make a positive impact. The change management training programme for public servants is a significant step towards building a more agile, responsive, resilient and effective public service, that can respond to some of the most complex challenges facing our nation today.”