The Anti-Piracy Society of Nigeria, APSON, a leading non-governmental organisation that fights against piracy and counterfeit in the nation, has held an administrative and management workshop for its members in Awka, report Uchechukwu Enem and Precious Ukeje. The two-day workshop aimed at increasing knowledge of members in administration and management was held at the Eastend Hotel, Awka from 15 to 16 June, 2020.
Speakers at the event included Dr Kingsley Ubaorji of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Uchechukwu Enem of Fides Media, Odogwu Emeka Odogwu of Authority newspaper and Mr Obinna Onwuka, a financial management consultant.
Frank Uduonu, Director General, Anti-piracy Society of Nigeria, APSON, while addressing press men, noted that the workshop was specifically for the heads of various branches of APSON.
He described administration as the foundation that guided the process of carrying out activities in conformity with laid down policies, procedures, rules and regulations in an organization, and added that such necessited that APSON agents incharge of various departments, supervisors and administrators be equipped with the requisite administrative skills through workshops.
Uduonu added that his expectations of participants after the workshop included that they would be able to: describe in precise terms, policies, procedures, rules and regulations involved in business operations and administration; develop organizing skills; and appreciate good communication skills.
He also added that they were also expected to be able to: manage office funds better; and develop good management skills and lots more.
Enem who delivered a presentation on ‘Effective Use of ICT in Administrative Management’, noted that there were several digital tools available that could be employed for smooth administration and management of businesses.
Adding that there were skills which one could learn on Google platforms, she urged participants at the workshop to make out time to learn new skills as it would help them get acquainted with prevailing digital economy.
Odogwu who delivered a lecture on information management, told participants that data which could be qualitative or quantitative could be collected through interviews, focus group discussions or questionnaires.
He hammered on discretion in the handling of data collected by agents and added that their duty which included information gathering, could be done with sophisticated gadgets and in a way an information provider would not know, and would freely release needed information.
With all our gadgets, we can unknowingly gather info, while the info provider isn’t aware. When info is gathered, you transmit them to the right channels, in case they’re lost in your hands.
He added that information management was ensuring that information was available to the right person, in the right format, at the right time.
Dr Ubaorji who took time to show participants a practical illustration of team management, enjoined them to reckon that team work was not easy, but, however added that they must make sure they connected with other team members to ensure the achievement of the final goal.
While he harped on the importance of leadership in every team, he told them that the success or failure of a team was a collective responsibility.
‘Nobody succeeds if a team doesn’t succeed. Once a team fails, everyone has and everyone should blame themselves,’ Dr Ubaorji explained.
Mr Obinna Onwuka, for his part, delivered a lecture on the topic, decision making and problem-solving, where he extensively divulged the concepts and how they were interrelated, as well as application in the discharge of their duties.
APSON, Fides gathered has been in existence for about a year and some months. They aim to deploy a one family, one-member strategy in the recruitment of members.
