Nigeria Content Online

Information
Technology is the enabler to all sectors and functions in society. It
plays a significant role in improving processes within government
departments.

Information
Technology also assists in reporting and monitoring Key Performance
Indicators (KPI’s) to ensure that government departments are working to
their full capacity, highlight any inadequacies, resource shortage, or
budgetary shortfalls.

All government
departments need to utilise simple technology techniques or practice –
as usually done in the private sector – to help them provide an even
better service from the point of first contact with a client.
Technology can be used to capture the initial contact process, down to
providing the actual service, and to any follow up, as may be necessary.

In perspective, in
more developed countries, if you put through a call to a government
ministry or department, using modern technology, such a call, most
times, will be recorded and the voice data archived for future
reference.

This not only to
ensure that a high quality of service is provided to the client, but
protects both parties if there is any misunderstanding as to what
transpired between them.

Any progress or any
action on the initial request or inquiry is also captured
electronically, monitored and dealt with accordingly. Again,
Information Technology is here playing a crucial part in providing an
acceptable level of service to the client, ensures that the civil
servant provides an acceptable level of service, and that such
government agency is accountable and auditable in the service it
provides.

Information
technology can be used to automate every single process or function
within government, from monitoring the progress of all awarded
contracts using modern colour coded dashboard exception reporting, for
example, monitoring runaway projects (in terms of cost and timeline),
up to date and real time reporting on any function, evaluating the
pulse of citizens on new policies the government is contemplating,
disseminating accurate information in real time to citizens, both at
home and abroad through the use of YouTube, web conferencing, video
conferencing, or using other dedicated web portals to reach out to
their citizens, maintain records of expenditure and income, conducting
elections, carrying out census, and promoting our country’s image
abroad, amongst others.

The government can
interact better and more accurately with its citizens, especially with
the Nigerian youth who are very active on the Internet and because it
is simply the way forward, the future. Government agencies also need to
use the Internet to better project their own image and highlight their
achievements.

eGovernment

Broadly speaking,
eGovernment captures all the points discussed above and focuses on
automating government processes, on creating the relevant Information
Technology infrastructure for citizens to interact in real time, and
for government agencies to work with the private sector in utilising
their services.

The government
needs to establish that its services are accessible, where relevant,
via the Internet or in other electronic form. For example, a citizen or
a client needs to be able to download or fill out online, any relevant
forms to access any service from a government agency.

Where possible, the use of email, online chatting tools, bulletin
boards, and newsletters need to also be used to provide real time, up
to date information on any enquiries or requests as relevant.