Ondo State Launches AI System for Managing Civil Servants' Records

The Ondo State Government has rolled out a new digital system powered by artificial intelligence. This system will help manage the records, payroll, retirement, and pension processes for civil servants. The state is moving away from manual ways of doing things to more automated systems.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa officially launched the system, called Ondo AI, on Thursday. The event took place at the Cocoa Conference Hall in the Governor’s Office in Akure.

Ondo AI will provide the government with real-time access to personnel details. It will also automate payroll and retirement tasks. Additionally, the system will help move workers who are retiring from active service to the pension system smoothly.

The governor mentioned that the goal of this initiative is to replace old-fashioned processes. He wants to cut down on bureaucratic delays, make decision-making better, and improve transparency in government. The state’s statement highlighted this.

This new launch builds on the earlier introduction of Ondo Pay. This is another AI-powered platform for human resources and payroll that centralizes employee records. Since it started, Ondo Pay has paid out N9.7 billion in pensions and gratuities to 2,802 workers. This covers outstanding pension and gratuity payments for civil service workers, teachers in secondary schools, and staff from state parastatals.

The government explained that the digital system keeps detailed records of civil servants. This includes photos, appointment details, promotion letters, academic qualifications, complaints, and other important documents.

Authorized officials in the government will be able to access these records online. The system will also notify the government when workers are nearing retirement.

Civil servants can use a self-service feature to check their payslips and personal information. They can also see how many days are left until they retire. Godwin Odoma, Managing Director of SmartApps IT Limited, which developed the system, shared this information.

He added that the system will help automate pension processing and cut down on delays that often happen between retirement and when pension payments start.

“With the self-service application, you cannot say you don’t know when you are going to retire,” he said.

Governor Aiyedatiwa reiterated that the aim of the initiative is to replace old processes. He wants to lessen bureaucratic delays and improve the information quality available for decision-making.

He stressed that good governance needs accurate and timely information. He believes that digitization should be seen as a way to change how the government works, not just as a tech upgrade.

“We cannot expect the public service in the 21st century to keep using a system from another era. This is the age of technology. We can’t keep working with outdated methods,” he said.

The governor called on public servants who will input data into the system to ensure that the information is accurate and trustworthy.

Segun Odusanya, the Head of Service, described the platform as a key step toward modernizing the public service in the state. He mentioned that having reliable personnel information will help with workforce planning, support quick decisions, and reduce the delays that come with old administrative methods.