As the whole state civil service transitions to digital, electronic identity cards have been given to EVERY government officer in Anambra State.
The director of the Anambra State ICT Agency, ANSICTA, Fred Agbata, recently unveiled the e-identity cards at the Jerome Udoji secretariat in Awka.
According to Agbata, the organization has already educated 100 people who will oversee the initiative and purchased 200 computers, which have been given out to the various departments and organizations.
He asserts that the goal is for every federal official to be digitized, adding that doing so will increase government business efficiency and get rid of delays in the civil service.
“Each worker is given a unique identity. The identity will also provide an audit trail to monitor every civil servant”, he said.
The implementation of e-government initiatives has become essential for effective and transparent governance, according to the state’s Head of Service, Mrs. Theodora Igwegbe, who also noted that the program’s key component is to offer a secure and trustworthy means of verifying people’s identities.
There is no disputing the fact that the adoption of such a plan for Anambra State’s civil personnel can be extremely beneficial. The increased efficiency that an e-identification system delivers to administrative procedures is one of its main advantages.
“Traditional identification methods reliant on physical documents and manual verifications are time-consuming and prone to errors. By adopting an e-identification scheme, Anambra State civil servants can streamline their interactions with various government agencies, eliminate repetitive paperwork and reduce bureaucratic delays. This automation not only saves time, but also enables civil servants to focus on their core responsibilities, ultimately enhancing productivity across board.
“The implementation of an e-identification scheme significantly strengthens the security measures surrounding civil service operations. Physical documents are susceptible to loss, theft, or forgery, posing a considerable risk to the integrity of the system. With e-identification, each civil servant is assigned a unique digital identity, backed by robust encryption protocols and authentication mechanisms.
“This ensures that only authorized individuals can access sensitive information or conduct transactions, reducing the likelihood of identity theft and fraudulent activities. By safeguarding personal data and maintaining the privacy of civil servants, an e-identification scheme establishes a secure environment for effective governance.”
Igwegbe cited accountability as a key component of any effective civil service and added that Anambra State can create a transparent framework that tracks contacts, transactions, and decision-making procedures through the use of the digital system.
“The availability of accurate and reliable data assists in the evaluation of performance, enabling the identification of areas that require improvement and facilitating evidence-based decision-making.This scheme can significantly enhance service delivery for Anambra State civil servants.
“By digitizing identification processes, civil servants can access government services more conveniently, reduce paperwork and minimize the need for physical presence. This digital transformation empowers civil servants to engage in online training, access relevant resources, and collaborate remotely, thereby facilitating professional development and fostering knowledge-sharing within the civil service,” she said.
She stated that strong cyber security measures, such as encryption, firewalls, and routine audits, would be implemented as part of attempts to address problems, such as worries about data security.
She said that in order to give the staff free WiFi, optic fibers had already been laid.
Igwegbe continued by saying that the e-identity card has handled the issue of “ghost workers,” and that if employees reach retirement age, they are also automatically removed from the system.
