By John Ewah and Violet Osatohanmwen Obamwonyi
The Edo State Government recently rolled out a fleet management software called “Mega Connect” which would be responsible for the management and maintenance of all State-owned vehicles.
This innovative solution is geared towards achieving a cost-effective and optimal maximization of the State’s vehicular assets which would aid reduction in the cost of fueling and maintaining government vehicles, ensure even distribution to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the State, and provide a centralized vehicle management operating system which would improve service delivery in the State’s public service.
The event which took place on October 13th, 2022, at the New Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, provides the State with a digital mobility solution in line with the e-governance initiative upon which the State currently runs.
Recall that the Edo State Government has since embarked on a cost reduction campaign for governance as a result of nationwide economic challenges and dwindling revenue from federal allocations. This, the Government considers an effective way to save more, in order to meet germane infrastructural and socio-economic needs of the people of the State. The recent rationalization of MDAs in the State from 107 to 72 is part of this grand design.
Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki has also maintained a vantage position in boosting its internally generated revenue through diverse interventions which have opened up the State for investment and business opportunities and created an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Such governance mechanism which entails the provision of quality infrastructure, security, effective land and tax administration systems and expansion into the tourism frontier, amongst others, by the State Government, is propelling a whole new avalanche of economic growth for the State and hence a steady growth in its internally generated revenue (IGR).
In a welcome address at the event, the Edo State Head of Service and Chairman of the Fleet Management Committee, Anthony Okungbowa Esq., noted that the lack of a central vehicle management operating system leads to sub-optimal utilization and loss of state-owned vehicles.
According to Okungbowa, “The lack of a central vehicle management operating system has led to a situation where there was sub-optimal utilization, un-even distribution, lack of central vehicle inventory, nonexistent Quality Assurance and Quality Control for maintenance as well as loss of state-owned vehicles.
“There has therefore arisen, the need to emplace a sustainable strategy or system for the management of state-owned vehicles to improve their utilization and distribution in order that service delivery would be optimal and the cost of management, operation and maintenance of the vehicles, reduced to the barest minimum.
“This is what birthed the idea of MEGA Connect which is the reason we are here today. The initiative would help government minimize the cost of vehicle purchase and maintenance and improve service delivery within the public service. This technology-driven initiative is proposed to help with the management and maintenance of state-owned vehicles with a view to minimizing cost annually for the purchase of vehicles, maintenance, fueling as well as incidences of vehicles not accounted for due to loss or damage”.
While speaking on its contribution to service delivery as well as its benefits to public servants in the State, Okungbowa explained: “The overall goal here is to improve on service delivery within the public service by ensuring that automobile resources are put to optimum use and are available for all employees in the course of performing their day-to-day work schedules. Flowing from a service-wide vehicle inventory done by the committee and the consultant, over three hundred (300) vehicles have been accounted for across MDAs”.
Emphasizing the need for accountability and cost reduction for vehicle purchase and maintenance, Okungbowa said: “Flowing from a service-wide vehicle inventory done by the committee and the consultant, over three hundred (300) vehicles have been accounted for across MDAs. The location, conditions and overall status of these vehicles cannot be reported with exactitude due to the absence of a central vehicle management system. Taking into cognizance the discovery that the existing model for vehicle management in the State will continue to lead to government incurring more costs for the purchase and maintenance of vehicles, including incidences of losses not accounted for and damage which cannot be tracked, and the all-important fact that as a government, we can no longer afford such luxury, Government has decided on the alternative of emplacing a technology-driven central system for the management of its fleet. Of course, this e-management initiative is in sync with the concept of e-governance which Edo State Government runs”.
Also speaking during the event, the Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Strategy, Policy, Projects and Performance Management, Mrs Sarah Esangbedo Ajose-Adeogun, stated that the rationale for the adoption of the tech-driven fleet management system by the Government is for improved service delivery to indigenes and residents of the State as well as public servants.
According to Ajose-Adeogun, “As a responsible government, in light of the dwindling resources, we are addressing our challenges head on to ensure we continue to serve the people, and this burning desire has led His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, to come up with several innovative solutions. Last month we announced the reduction of MDAs from 107 to 72 because we realize that we need to tackle these challenges head on to achieve our goals to be the best place to live and prosper by 2050. Today we are happy in Edo State because salaries are being paid on time, whereas in time past, workers were owed salaries for even more than six (6) months, meanwhile, they were still expected to be working”
“The fleet management system which is the use of technology to run logistic requirements would bring about a drastic reduction and optimization in operation and maintenance cost, extend lifespan, monitor vehicles in real-time and ensure visibility on logistic requirement and tracking system that would avoid theft and misappropriation of EDSG vehicles for personal and unauthorized uses”, Ajose-Adeogun added.
The fleet Management System Consultant, Mr Jaffer Zope Inegbedion, also gave a presentation on the EDSG workplace mobility solution, taking attendees through the operation of the Ride Share Application that would be test-run in the State soon.
