The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with funding from the European Union (EU) has trained top civil servants in Enugu State on the ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Key Highlights:
- UNESCO and the European Union trained Enugu civil servants on AI ethics.
- The programme focused on ethical AI use and informed decision-making.
- UNESCO said the training would improve skills and public service delivery.
- Peter Mbah was praised for supporting digital transformation.
- Participants said AI could boost efficiency and transparency in government work.
Dimitri Sanga, the Officer-in-Charge of UNESCO Office in Abuja and UNESCO representative in Nigeria, disclosed this on Thursday in an address at the ongoing Artificial Intelligence literacy training for permanent secretaries and directors in Enugu State.
The 3-day EU-funded training is being organised by the Office of the head of service of Enugu State and UNESCO.
Sanga said that he was confident that the training course, with its significant milestone in relation to making ethical and informed decisions on AI, would be enriching.
According to him, the weight of designing and implementing development goals driven by AI and other emerging technologies lies on our shoulders as technocrats, administrators and policy makers.
He noted that the training was an opportunity to strengthen our skills, share knowledge, and build the capacity needed for greater impact and better service delivery.
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Represented by Nneka Okafor, coordinator for the implementation of UNESCO recommendation, Sanga said: “It is a moment to commit ourselves to collaboration and to embrace the spirit of lifelong learning.
“I appreciate all participants and commend your dedication to being here.
“Let me especially appreciate the Head of the Civil Service of Enugu State, Godwin Anigbo, for the consistency and commitment he demonstrated in positioning the state as a partner for this training.
“Such proactiveness, in no small amount, is a huge source of inspiration that encourages us as international organisations to do more.”
He encouraged the participants to make the most of this training in the public/civil service system/institution, and for the generations to come I wish you all an enriching learning opportunity.
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, General Administration in the Office of the Head of Service, Ogbonna Idike, noted that the training was top notch in terms of resources persons, facilitators and environment.
Idike commended Governor Peter Mbah for empowering the state’s head of service for the visionary movement of public and civil servants from analog to full digitalisation even on the use of AI.
One of the participants, Joy Ezeh, from the office of the auditor-general for local government, commended the state government and the head of service for a well-tailored training meant to improve work efficiency.
Ezeh said that applying digitalisation and AI in the daily work processes would reduce human contact, improve speed, efficiency and service delivery as well as check human contact and manipulation.
