The John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) has trained over 250 Edo State government officials on artificial intelligence (AI).
Imuwahen Ajoonu, the director-general of JOOPSA disclosed this to newsmen at the commencement of a two-day training on artificial intelligence in Benin City.
Ajoonu said the aim of the training was to empower civil and public servants with the requisite knowledge to enhance government operations, provide better services to citizens and make data-driven decisions.
She noted that knowledge of artificial intelligence could help government make more informed decisions, especially in areas like policy development, resource allocation and crisis management.
According to her, artificial intelligence the world over, is transforming the way governments operate and provide services to citizens.
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“Indeed, understanding the fundamentals of AI remains essential for government officials to make informed decisions, develop effective policies, and harness the potential of AI technologies for public good.
“Because AI can analyse vast amounts of data quickly, identify trends and provide insights, it could help government make more informed decisions, especially in areas like policy development, resource allocation, and crisis management.
“Government workers trained in AI could, for instance, harness predictive analytics to anticipate trends and issues. For example, AI could predict traffic congestion, allowing city planners to optimise traffic management.
“It could be deployed to forecast disease outbreaks, enabling health agencies to allocate resources more effectively”, she said.
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The JOOPSA director-general noted that all the modules in the course have been designed to introduce the Edo State civil and public service workforce to artificial intelligence.
She noted that the training was in line with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s E-Governance drive to support workers to make more data-driven decisions, resulting in transparency, accountability and value-for-money outcomes.
Ajoonu further explained that artificial intelligence could automate routine and time-consuming tasks, allowing government workers to focus on more complex and value-added activities.
