May 9, 2015 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has activated the Citizens Relationship Management (CRM) system as part of effort to improve service delivery to residents at a minimal cost.
Speaking at the launch of the platform on Friday, Fashola said the CRM gives opportunity for residents to interact with service providers in the state without leaving the comfort of their home until their physical presence is needed thereby saving time, energy and waste of fuel.
The governor said that residents can have access to service providers in the state using any of three means, two telephone lines – 767, 112 and a website domiciled at www.services.lagosstate.ng.gov.
He explained that henceforth residents can call 767 for emergencies and services but that 112 is strictly reserved for emergencies and that any other inquiries will not be answered on that line.
He said that residents using either of the lines will be questioned by the receiver inquiring about name, location, place of residents and other issues which he said could take as much as five minutes for those who are not captured in the online register of Lagos State Residents Registration Agency(LASRRA) but that callers already registered by the agency would not go through rigors of questioning since their data will appear on screen while being attended to.
He said residents can also use the third access point, which is the website by logging on to the site, fill a form indicating the type of services required before submitting it online.
Explaining innovation in the CRM, the governor said that the platform makes it easy for the one transacting the business and government to track the services, and know how fast he is being attended to.
He said that those who have done business with the statement government consequently warranting payment need not come to Alausa to find out when they will be paid but would have to fill the form, submit it and they will be informed when their payment is due. Same can also be achieved through the 767 phone line.
He said that 14 government agencies and ministries have been captured in the CRM system and that others will be brought in gradually until all government agencies are brought in. The governor said the portal will open between 8 am and 5pm daily from Monday to Friday.
He explained that one of the strategies adopted in the past by the administration to prevent people from travelling only to Alausa to ask for information from people in government was to publish his telephone number, his email address and that of his cabinet members and other top government officials.
Fashola said the Citizens Relationship Management is not a job application platform, stressing that job application and journalistic inquiries could be dealt with when the platform is expanded.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Nike Animashaun traced the history of how the agreements for the commencement of the programme were initiated during a meeting with Microsoft executives in Dubai.
She also said it is an IT solution that assists large corporations like Lagos State to deliver services to her citizens better.
Also speaking, Director General of the Office of Transformation, Mr. Toba Otusanya said the system tomorrows technology today which has berthed in Lagos.
He said that is important because the state has been able to expand the services available unto the platform and would be working closely with Ministry of Science and Technology in the coming months to be able to migrate all ministries and department unto the platform.
