The Center for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW) has joined stakeholders in canvassing for data protection ambassadors in ministries, departments and agencies of government for the nation to reap the gains of the growing digital ecosystem.
This call was made at the monthly lunchtime seminar of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) with the theme “National Digital Transformation and Data Protection Awareness Campaign,” with stakeholders stressing the need to consolidate the gains of the digital ecosystem.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner/CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), said that digitization and digitalization has brought about significant changes to the global economy and workplace environment and urged public servants to key into the nation’s digitization drive for greater efficiency in government businesses.
He said that the digital economy has necessitated the need for the workforce to be circumspect when dealing with data: “data protection in the digital economy has become an increasingly important issue as more personal information is collected and processed by businesses and organizations.”
Olatunji noted that data protection is everyone’s responsibility, and called on stakeholders to implement appropriate measures to ensure the security and privacy of the data, while also preventing the rising cases of identity theft. He added that effective data management can build trust and increase accountability.
In his remark, the Director General of the BPSR, Mr. Dasuki Arabi, noted that the government data protection awareness campaign is intended to educate and provide technical and non-technical information/support required to successfully implement files and document digitization.
He said that the campaign will provide knowledge and bridge skills gaps, with guidelines & standards for digitization and ultimate implementation of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Solution as part of the Reform Initiatives of the National Strategy for Public Service Reforms (NSPSR).
The Executice Director of the Center, Umar Yakubu highlighted the benefits of data science to human development but stressed on the needs to regularly address the challenges it comes with such as cybercrime.
As a data-driven organization, the Center welcomes the data protection awareness, and is willing to provide support to government and stakeholders towards ensuring data safety. The Center also believes that digitization is one of the easiest paths to transparent and accountable system, and therefore urge government to facilitate the nationwide implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for growth and development.