The Abia State Government is about to launch a citizens' engagement centre. This centre will help improve communication between the government and residents. It will use a technology-driven system for real-time feedback.
The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, shared this news on Tuesday. He spoke to reporters in Umuahia about what happened at Monday’s State Executive Council meeting.
Mr Kanu said the centre will work as a digital platform. It will receive and handle citizens’ inquiries, complaints, suggestions, and feedback. After that, it will send these to the relevant ministries, departments, and agencies for quick action.
He said this centre will not only enhance service delivery but also act as a data hub. This hub will support evidence-based policymaking, programme evaluation, and feedback management in government institutions. He mentioned that this project shows the current administration’s commitment to participatory governance and good public service delivery.
Mr Kanu also announced a partnership with MTN Nigeria. This partnership aims for 100 percent voice and data network coverage across the state. The first phase of this project is expected to be done in eight to ten weeks.
He emphasized that this project will greatly improve social and financial inclusion. It will also enhance access to healthcare, education, and security services. When completed, residents in both cities and remote areas will have better access to reliable internet.
The Chief Information Officer to the Governor, Gerald Ilukwe, also spoke about the partnership with MTN. He said the focus will be on strengthening the network in all parts of the state for better connectivity.
Mr Ilukwe clarified that the citizens’ engagement centre will not be a physical office. Instead, it will be a contact platform. Citizens can interact with the government through phone calls, emails, WhatsApp, and other digital channels.
He likened the system to modern customer service platforms used by banks and telecom companies. This will allow residents to access services, file complaints, and get responses without needing to visit government offices.
He added that this initiative is part of the government’s aim to promote transparency, increase responsiveness, and improve citizen-government engagement across the state.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇