By Hillary Turyasingura

The Under Secretary in the Ministry of Information Communications Technology (ICT) and National Guidance Mr. Nkeramihigo Julius has asked newly recruited public servants to aspire to be part of the solutions if they are to have a meaningful career ahead of them.

Mr. Nkeramihigo made the remarks while officially opening a one-week induction training for newly recruited public servants in the Communication and Technology sector across Government at Uganda Institute of Communication and Technology (UICT) in Nakawa division, Kampala.

The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Information Communications Technology and National Guidance which has mandate to provide strategic leadership and supervision of ICT and National Guidance sectors for sustainable development.

Nkeramihigo noted that as a way of preparing oneself for a meaningful career, it is a prerequisite for a public servant to cultivate and maintain a positive attitude towards work, an aspect that will enable them solve problems as opposed to  being part of them. He added that with a positive attitude, all the other aspects that produce good results at the workplace like obedience, courage and determination, improving one’s skills, self-confidence, inspiration and motivation, tenacity and resilience   will be achieved. 

While presiding over the taking of the official oath and the oath of secrecy, Nkeramihigo appealed to officers to observe the relevancy of the oath with utmost attention so that it does not work against them.

The workshop attracted  Technology and Communication cadres among others including Data Network Engineers, Infrastructure Engineers, System administrators, Communication officers, Information scientists, Information Technology Officers and Information System Officers.

These were from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Lands and Urban development, Mulago specialized women’s hospital, Education service commission, judiciary, Ministry of foreign affairs, and the Information Technology Hub in Nakawa.

While speaking during the same training, the Assistant commissioner for Human resource Management at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance Judith Odoi asked public servants to work hard and get Government forms of appreciation like public praise, letters of appreciation, mementos, medals, salary increments, among others.

The induction training covered a wide range of topics that among others included, the institutionalization of the Communications and Technology sector in Ministries, Departments and agencies from the Human resource perspective, the institutionalization process of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, performance Management and performance appraisal in public service, practical filling of  performance appraisal forms, taking oaths  and its implications in the public service standing orders and career guidance progression in the public service .

Others topics included discipline and disciplinary machinery and procedures in the public service, Basic concept of record management and information management, Terms and conditions of service in the public service, clinical overview of Advanced HIV Disease (AHD), code of conduct in the public service, Financial planning, talent identification and management, succession planning, Health and safety at the workplace, Government Communication, customer care and Public Relations.

The writer is a Communications Officer at Ministry of ICT and National Guidance