The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, has urged civil servants to continuously upgrade their knowledge and embrace digital skills in order to remain relevant and contribute more effectively to the development of the State.

Akinlesi, made the call while making a remark during an in-house capacity-building programme organised for officers on Grade Levels 02 to 09 with the themed “Mastering the Use of Microsoft PowerPoint, Artificial Intelligence and Their Day-to-Day Applications,” said the training was designed to equip participants with practical digital skills for improved workplace performance.

He noted that the world had become increasingly driven by technology and innovation, as it had created new opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Akinlesi, pointed out that the knowledge acquired would help improve creativity, innovation and efficiency, ultimately strengthening service delivery across the public sector.

“Every staff has a critical role in advancing the Ministry’s goals. I encourage participants to apply the lessons learnt in their daily responsibilities, as this will enhance productivity, improve service delivery and enable the Ministry to fulfil its mandate more effectively,” he said.

Speaking on the importance of digital tools in public administration, one of the facilitators, Mr. Damilola Sowunmi, said Microsoft PowerPoint serves as an essential platform for effective communication and professional presentations.

He explained that the application enables officers to present information in a clear, organised and visually engaging manner, thereby supporting informed decision-making during meetings, policy briefings servesand stakeholder engagements.

On their part, Mr. Adekunle John and Mr. Damilola Akerele, encouraged participants to leverage Artificial Intelligence to improve efficiency and effectiveness in public service operations.

The facilitators noted that AI has the capacity to transform workplace processes, reduce administrative bottlenecks and enhance overall productivity, while stating that AI-driven solutions could promote transparency efficiently to citizens.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Mrs. Omikunle Bukola, expressed appreciation to the Ministry’s management for organising the training, assuring that the knowledge gained would be applied to promote a more efficient, innovative and citizen-focused public service.