Members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), particularly ministers who lack the ability to use the computer, may soon be kicked out of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Saturday Newswatch authoritatively gathered that all the ministers were told in clear terms that the era of carrying files to FEC meetings would soon be over.
A source close to the Cabinet Office, the main secretariat of the Wednesday meetings of FEC, said the ministers were notified of the development two weeks ago.
It was gathered that each minister was provided with a lap-top through which council memos would be sent to them.
Already, IT experts from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation have been sent to the ministries to teach non-computer compliant ministers elementary lessons on computer appreciation.
These set of ministers, it was further gathered, have been given till the end of this month to sharpen their skills or be flushed out as they may not be able to comprehend the workings of the FEC as files and paper works would soon be phased out.
A source at the Cabinet Office told Saturday Newswatch that previous cabinet memos, decisions and approvals would be uploaded to the computer of each of the ministers for easy reference.
“It will help some of them to know how council memos were presented in the past and decisions of council,” the source stressed.
Although some FEC members with political ambitions are expected to throw in the towel and move on to their states where they are expected to slug it out and emerge the standard bearer of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, none of them would want to be eased out of government on account of computer knowledge.
A council member who sought anonymity said the order to be computer literate is taking its toll on some of the ministers.
“Some of us don’t honestly know how to operate the computer. My children opened a Facebook account for me but where is the time to check it? This new order is not funny. The IT experts were here yesterday (Thursday) to teach me how to go about it,” the minister said, adding that they were informed that effective from November, only lap-tops and iPads would be useful at FEC meetings.
It is, however, not clear how much is being spent on the laptops and training for the ministers.
Source: Daily Newswatch
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