Edo public service academy boosts workers’ capacity on public policy

The John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), a brainchild of Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, has trained about 300 civil and public service workers in the state to expand their capabilities for effective service delivery.

Speaking after the three-day session in Benin City, Precious Ajoonu, Managing Director of the public service academy, said the participants were trained on public policy, negotiation and conflict management.

Ajoonu, who is also the facilitator, said the training was part of the academy’s mission to upskill 10,000 workers in 2023, adding that it is open to civil and public servants across all tiers of government with a view to incorporating other private individuals, civil society groups and corporate organisations.

The managing director, while noting that the academy is passionate about impacting the right knowledge on civil and public servants, corporate organisations to enable them reach their goals, urged members of the public and corporate organisations to leverage on the academy to add value to their workforce.

Read also: We are making Odigie-Oyegun Academy Africa’s centre for public service knowledge- Ajoonu

Accordion to the facilitator, “the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy is the training arm of the Edo state government. This, no doubt, is a competitive advantage that few organisations can effectively harness. The academy since inception has been a major driver of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s transformation efforts being witnessed in Edo state civil and public service.

“Among other gains, the academy courses are designed to provide leaders with adequate knowledge and skills to reposition workers and other participants for a better service delivery,” Ajoonu said.

She explained that during the negotiation and conflict management training session, “participants were exposed to understanding conflict and difficult situations, advanced interpersonal skills for conflict management, mastering the art of persuasion, influence and negotiation, managing organisational conflict and culture.

“Public policy was imbibed in participants. The rudiments of public policy; introduction to public policy, policy process and life circle, stages and stakeholders, influencing public policy, option generation, option appraisal and cost benefit analysis.

“The essence of the training is to impact knowledge on how leaders can use conflicts to develop their teams in the right way, empower their workforce with new levels of confidence and spirit,” she added.