By Abigail Romanus
Nigeria’s Ministry of Police Affairs has trained members of staff within the directorate cadre on grade levels 17 to 15 on the use of common Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to enhance their work proficiency, especially in project conceptualization, execution and reporting.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo Gwarzo who spoke on the relevance of training programme held at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, said that the Ministry is using the training to expose directors to the availability of numerous ICT tools like the PowerPoint that will enhance their presentations and reporting for the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of projects, routine activities, and others.
Similarly, Gwarzo has advised the directorate cadre in the Ministry to continue to deploy the skills learned so that they can become even better in the usage.
He said, “I want to advise the directors, deputy and assistant directors do not allow someone to prepare your PowerPoint, do it yourself. Very soon the forthcoming Performance Management System (PMS) introduced by the Head of the Service of the Federation will not allow you to use other people’s skills but your skills”.
Continuing, the Permanent Secretary said, “As a rule of thumb, everyone must own a laptop even if government is not providing enough, buy your own laptop. It is like food for you on your job.”
In a related development, the Force Medical Officer CP. Dr. Emmanuel Garba has outlined some of the challenges hindering the effective and efficient performance of its personnel in the area of disease prevention, management, and treatment, to include the low use of cutting-edge technologies and maintaining global best practices such as manpower shortages, lack of basic and life support ambulances, and adequate funding.
In his reaction, the Permanent Secretary expressed that once the ongoing police reforms are actualized, everything will take shape noting that the Ministry is ready to support the Nigeria Police Force and its medical department to achieve optimum service delivery.
“The worst thing we can do to ourselves as a nation is to assume that we cannot change status quo ante, but the best thing to happen is not a journey to ultimate designation but the planning and setting the foundation stone of that journey.
“This is the best alignment I have seen in a long time, the President is ready, the Ministry and Nigeria Police Force are ready and all Nigerians believe that NPF is seriously understaffed and underserved. However, if NPF is supported to an optimum level, Nigeria will be a better place to live in,” he stressed.