By Valentine Utulu
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has proposed a compulsory two-weeks orientation retreat for all elected and appointed government officials under the new national value charter.
The Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu made the disclosure on Friday in Asaba at a media briefing on the Agency’ nationwide sensitisation on the national values charter.
Represented by the Director of General Services, Dr. (Mrs.) Rebecca Nasamu, Issa-Onilu said the proposal became imperative as the nation seeks a national identity necessary to strengthen it democratic institutions.
“As you are aware, the core mandate of NOA is to inform and and enlighten the Nigeria populace on government policies and strategies for implementation.
Under the project, henceforth, our elected and appointed government officials will have to undergo a two weeks compulsory retreat on national values charter.
“This is a national identity project that is designed to give Nigerians a new identity and incorporate into the citizens institutionalised value orientation”, he said.
Issa-Onilu said the renewed approach becomes imperative as the agency unfolds its new mandate strategies for societal engagement and community mobilization for the nation’s socio-economic growth.
According to him, the agency is aware it can not do the job alone, hence the need to seek the collaboration and cooperation of the media which is key to the success of the project.
The DG disclosed that part of the strategy is to enlist the support of partners and collaborative agencies like the media in order to achieve the objectives of the project.
“The media has been age-long public messanger, the voice of the voiceless, the vanguard of national discourse and the public conscience.
“I dare to say that the media is the leader of our quest for national transformation and we want to leverage of the public confidence and trust you have built over the years to achieve results”, he said.
Earlier in a welcome address, the State Director of NOA in Delta, Mrs. Tracy Ikomi said the briefing is to seek the support of the media in mobilising the populace on the national values charter.
She enjoined the media to help propagate and disseminate the message of the national value project to the people to help achieve the objectives of the new orientation.
In a goodwill remark, the Director-General of the Delta State Orientation Bureau, Dr. Fred Lartimore Oghenesivbe commended the management of NOA for the nationwide sensitisation drive.
He said the initiative is a welcome development as government at all levels seek to reawake a new national consciousness for a better societytu.y
Oghenesivbe represented by Mr. Timothy Agbaragu, a director in the state ministry of information, assured of the state government support and collaboration to make the programme a success.
“We are going to collaborate with NOA with respect to propagating the objectives a national identity under the new national value charter.
“The project is a welcome development most especially as our nation seeks to re-awaken the citizens to a new consciouness of our national values”, he said.