… Awosusi Advocates Deployment of Technology for Efficient Service Delivery
The Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, has reiterated the commitment of his administration to regular training of all staff of the Institution for optimal service delivery.
Prof. Ige stated this on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, while declaring open, the maiden edition of the Registry Annual Lecture of the University, entitled, “Efficiency in University Registry Functions: The Imperative E-Governance and Electronic Documents Management System”.
Prof, Ige said, “Manpower development remains one of this administration’s cardinal attentions in our journey to building a 21st Century compliant administrative workforce. There is no gainsaying the Registry is the engine room of university administration and governance.
“Advancements in technology and science brings us closer to digitization and robotisation of several aspects of office work and human endeavours. This, increasingly imposes on every worker to adapt to these constantly changing terrains of technological breakthroughs, and it means that the Registry staff that would fit into the environment of a 21st Century University must be adept at using technology to achieve set objectives. This lecture is, therefore, relevant.”
While acknowledging that AAUA had already deployed technology to providing some of its services, the VC expressed the hope that upshots from the lecture would help to further bring robust innovations into the age-old administrative culture.
He thanked the Guest Lecturer, Dr. Omojola Awosusi, a university administrator of international repute, for accepting to share his plethora of knowledge and experience with members of the University Community.
Interrogating the theme of the lecture, Dr. Awosusi, called for a deliberate and concerted effort by managers of tertiary institutions in Nigeria to deploy relevant technology if the institutions must perform optimally and gain global relevance.
Dr. Awosusi, a former Registrar of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, said, “One of the reasons our universities are not performing at optimal level has been the failure to deploy appropriate technology. If a university is not a world-class institution, it is difficult for its Registry or any other of its units to exude world-class attributes. Technology is, no doubt, a prerequisite for effective and efficient delivery of services.”
The Guest Lecturer, who berated poor funding of higher institutions in the country, called on proprietors, especially state governors, to inject more funds to the state-owned institutions, saying, “He who created the pipe must pay the piper handsomely and provide additional fuds for the maintenance of the musical instrument.”
He also recommended for Nigerian universities adoption and acquisition of Electronic Document Management System, EDMS, to facilitate digitization of their operations, while relevant experts and personnel should be engaged.
The Special Guest of Honour and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, in his Goodwill Message, congratulated the Registrar, Mr. Olugenga Arajulu, for pioneering Registry Annual Lecture in the University.
Dr. Abayomi, who was represented by a member of the Governing Council, Arch. Tosho Ale, said the Council recently had a tour of the University to assess its needs and would expand its work to cover the areas where needs were identified.
Earlier in his Welcome Address, Mr. Arajulu, congratulated all members of staff in the Registry Department on the historic feat.
The Registrar said the lecture became imperative because, “The Registry is the heart and soul of University administration as the custodian and defender of University rules and statutes. The roles of Registry staff are pivotal to the achievement of the goals of the University, because they are the engine and driving force of the administrative machinery of the University. Thus, the need for well-trained and efficient workers to effectively perform their roles cannot be over-emphasized. We need this training to refine our understanding of these roles, define our priorities and to look at how we can be better equipped, to be effective at our jobs.”
He thanked the Vice Chancellor for giving all the necessary supports to the success of the lecture, and expressed gratitude to the Planning Committee headed by Mrs. G.O. Babalola, for organizing a befitting first Registry Annual Lecture.
