Ahead of the recruitment into the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service, Governor Umo Eno has inspected a newly established Computer-Based Test, CBT, Centre, set up to facilitate a more transparent and merit-driven recruitment process, in a bid to elevate the quality and efficiency of public service.
The inspection took place at the CBT centre located in the Civil Service Auditorium within the State Secretariat Complex in Uyo, where Governor Eno reiterated his administration’s commitment to transforming the workforce and eliminating unproductive practices such as favoritism and godfatherism.
The Governor Eno emphasized the need to reposition the civil service to meet the demands of a digital and rapidly evolving world.
The Governor explained that the CBT approach would ensure that only competent, computer-literate, and forward-thinking individuals are recruited into the system.
According to the Governor, the CBT method is a practical step toward promoting merit and seriousness among applicants, emphasising that applicants who are well-prepared will succeed, while others will have a fair chance to try again.
“The Civil Service is the engine room of governance. If we don’t get the Civil Service right, we would never get governance right,” Governor Eno asserted.
“We need to have people who, at least, understand basic computer knowledge and are confident in what they are doing. “This move will also drastically reduce external influence in the recruitment process.”
“Besides, the introduction of this Computer Based Test in our recruitment will considerably eliminate the issue of god fatherism in our system for competence to lead,” he added.
“We need to be practical about it; eliminate all manner of encumbrances so that applicants will prepare effectively for the examination. And, if they perform well, they would be taken. And, if they fail, they can prepare well to write it next time,” he explained.
The Head of Civil Service, Elder Effiong Essien, thanked the Governor for bringing innovation into the system and confirmed that the first phase of the CBT-based recruitment exams will take place within the month.
He encouraged applicants to prepare for what he described as a simple, user-friendly evaluation process.
Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, lauded the Governor’s foresight, noting that the centre can accommodate over 400 applicants per session, with the capacity to assess up to 2,000 candidates daily in batches.
Governor Eno’s initiative signals a clear shift toward a more efficient, fair, and future-ready civil service, aligning Akwa Ibom with global best practices in public sector recruitment.
