The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed the State Civil Service Commission to ensure that all Information and Communications Technology staff in the State Civil Service obtain certification from the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria before being considered for promotion.
Established by Decree No. 49 of 1993, the CPN is mandated to oversee the computing profession in Nigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Computer Society.
Fubara made this directive during a dinner held for delegates of the 2024 International Conference of the Nigeria Computer Society at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday evening.
This information was disclosed in a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chulwudi, and shared with journalists.
Speaking about the initiative to combat unprofessional practices in the sector and enhance the adoption of technology in the workplace, the governor emphasized the importance of advancing ICT literacy to improve service delivery in the state.
He confirmed that civil servants specializing in ICT must obtain certification before being eligible for further career advancements.
“Our aim is to eliminate unqualified practitioners and safeguard the reputation of this profession within the civil service.
“I started my career as a civil servant before entering politics. I didn’t just transition into politics abruptly — I have a background, I have experience, and I comprehend the procedures involved.
“We are fully committed to supporting the recognition of this association or society within our state. I can guarantee you that.”
Fubara highlighted that by prioritizing the integration of ICT in the public service of the state, the government has significantly increased its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and automated the entire civil service.
“Our primary objective is to enhance the state, no more and no less. Our focus is on improvement — we inherited certain challenges, and when we depart, the question will be: did we maintain the status quo, or did we elevate it?
“Our role is to enhance the state, and I can affirm that we are making significant progress. As you have heard, our IGR has soared, and we execute projects without resorting to borrowings. This success is attributed to one factor: the integration of technology in the governance of our state.”