SGF Says N65m On Existing Website Well Spent

In an off-hand manner, the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, OSGF, has said that the N65 million it spent on an already existing website, www.osgf.gov.ng, was well spent.

Amid growing criticisms, the Director of Information in the OSGF, Lawrence Ojabo, has come out to justify how the N65 million was spent.

Ojabo in a statement on Thursday said the website, which is currently undergoing a redesign and upgrading, will come up in few weeks.

The OSGF has come under fire after online newspaper, Premium Times, published a report on how N64, 855, 875, appropriated for it in the 2017 was spent on its already existing website, with the office claiming the amount had been fully utilised.

The director further explained that part of the N65 million will be used to train 50 people that will manage the website after it has been redesigned.

“For purposes of clarification, the existing website, the screenshot of which was published by Premium Times, is undergoing redesign and upgrading to bring it in conformity with modern technology and requirements of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“The OSGF is a critical hub of government that maintains a very high sense of accountability and transparency in all its transactions. The new website will further strengthen this core value as it will be built on the newest web technologies language, will be secured, fully managed locally, and hosted on a dedicated server. A new server infrastructure will be installed.

“The consultants to the project will in addition train not less than 50 officers that will facilitate timely updates and ensure very robust content management system,” Mr. Ojabo said.

While providing specifications and components expected in the redesigned website, the director said due process was followed in the award of the contract for the website.

“Other components include new home and adjoining pages, HTML, CSS, Javascript compliance, and providing annual technical service support; acquisition of various high end systems including deployment of DL380 GEN9 E%-2629V4 US server, 2x1TB SATA – HPE Part#867448-S01; HP All-in one Desktops/Intel Processor/8GB RAM/500GB HDD/17” Screen/Windows 10; Training of web masters and web content Providers; Apple MacBook 2.7GHz, Corei7, 16GB RAM, 512SSD, 15.4” Display, Retina Display, Radeon Pro 560 with 4GB memory, etc.

“The award of the contract for the website followed the pre-requisites of the Public Procurement Act 2007, before it was awarded on October 17, 2017. The emphasis of the OSGF under the leadership of Boss Mustapha on value for money and judicious application of public resources will never be vitiated for any reason.

“It is expected that the new website will meet the expectations of a highly sophisticated, dynamic, online-savvy media-consuming public. This is in line with the civil service reforms strategy which calls for greater openness, transparency, and public responsiveness in Government agencies in their delivery on policies and programmes.

“Accordingly, the new website when completed in a few weeks will include more windows, platforms, and links to various agencies to enable citizens, interested persons in the business of Government from around the globe to interact more easily with Government organizations and officials, provide an effective management information system and enhance public participation and ownership of Government programmes and policies.”