Anambra State Government on Friday achieved a major milestone in its efforts to digitize the state civil service, with the public presentation of the State Civil Service Electronic Identification, E-ID Card Scheme.
The public presentation of the E-ID cards took place at the HOS Conference hall of Jerome Udoji State Secretariat in Awka, Anambra State Capital.
The E-ID card, which will be available on Google playstore as a downloadable app, and every civil servant is expected to access and sign up for it, with their Name, Telephone Number and Official email address.
The ID-card will also be printed and can be scanned and interpreted just like the digital card.
Speaking at the event, the MD/CEO Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, said the E-ID is another major accomplishment for the State Civil Service, coming just a month after the Phase-1 distribution of 200 laptops and computers to Civil servants and Political appointees to enhance the digitization processes in the State.
According to him, the SOLUTION E-ID card was made possible through the Collaboration between the State Government and Academia through the Agency’s Solution Internship Programme which was launched earlier in the year.
“The programme is conceived as a bridge between the State Government and the Academia, to build the next generation of code warriors that can innovate and produce a variety of technological advancements that supports Mr Governor’s vision of Everything Technology and Technology Everywhere.
“This effort clearly shows the state government’s willingness to work with anyone genuinely interested in contributing to the transformation of Anambra State through technology, those who are willing to make the right commitment and sacrifice.
“The world as we all know has rapidly transformed into a digital stage, and so, we continue to appreciate the efforts of Mr. Governor to promote access to technology in all areas of the public sector and we cannot wait to see the overall positive impact that this strategy will have on the workforce and our beloved state in general.
“Let me boldly say that to say that for the first time in the history of Anambra state and under the visionary leadership of Governor Soludo, civil servants and all other Government Employees can now easily identify themselves on the go while government and citizens can equally identify them with ease.
“The era of fake government employees is gone for good.
“The ICT Agency is thrilled to have midwifed and overseeing this digital identity management initiative on behalf of the state government,” he boasted.
On how the initiative works, the Anambra ICT Agency boss emphasized that the acceptable email address is the official Email address, which is in the format firstname.lastname@
This he said, is according to the State’s Digital Assets standardization policy, which totally aligns with the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the National Second Level Domain Policy making the Second Level Domain mandatory for all government-owned websites and official email correspondence of all government personnel.
In her address, the state Head of Service, Barr. Theodora Igwegbe maintained that the implementation of e-government initiative has become imperative for efficient and transparent government.
An essential aspect of this initiative she said, is the adoption of e-identification schemes which provide a secured and reliable verification of individual’s identities, as against the traditional identification methods reliant on physical documents and manual verifications, which are time-consuming and prone to errors.
She posited; “By adopting an e-identification scheme, Anambra State civil servants can streamline their interactions with various government agencies, eliminating repetitive paperwork and reducing 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 hailed the support of Governor Chulwuma Soludo towards bringing the initiative to fruition, insisting that the governor has by his disposition, shown that he wants the state workforce to be truly digitized.
“This scheme can significantly enhance service delivery for Anambra State civil servants. By digitizing identification processes, civil servants can access government services more conveniently, reducing paperwork and minimizing the need for physical presence.
“It also 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.
“The motivation to birth a modern civil service that really delivers on the manifesto of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo is more than enough to trump any implementation challenges that may be encountered.
“I applaud the efforts and ingenuity of ANSICTA in creating this laudable scheme and finally, thank immensely the Governor of Anambra State for approving this wonderful initiative,” she noted.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Information, Barr Chinedu Ike appreciated the governor for the innovative ideas he has been bringing since he assumed office.
He also lauded the commitment of the head of service to driving the digitization of the state workforce and all her efforts at changing the fortunes of civil servants in the state.
Some civil servants at the event sought answers to some grey areas around the initiative, especially issues of update in Workers’ data as they progress, as well as hacking of the process.
The event featured a detailed presentation for extensive understanding of how the E-ID Card operates.
