NOA and the challenge of Nigeria’s transformation

Suffice it to say that most of the critics were not speaking from an informed point of view because they lacked details of the internal dynamics and operations of the Agency and more importantly, the obvious challenges that the Agency faced. Indeed, the NOA has never relented in its commitment to fulfill its statutory mandate […]

Suffice it to say that most of the critics were not speaking from an informed point of view because they lacked details of the internal dynamics and operations of the Agency and more importantly, the obvious challenges that the Agency faced.

Indeed, the NOA has never relented in its commitment to fulfill its statutory mandate to sustainably raise public awareness over government policies, programmes and activities; mobilizing favourable public opinion for government policies and programmes; as well as obtaining feedback from the people and communicating same to government. However, as it is often said, much is expected from him to whom much is given. It is therefore a welcome development that the public searchlight has persistently beamed on the NOA expecting it to do more; and more it shall do.

The National Orientation Agency is poised more than ever, to contribute its quota to resolve the current security challenges and public apathy to government policies. Beyond that, NOA is re-strategizing with more preemptive, preventive and proactive approaches to handling societal attitudes.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has also been very committed to revamp the Agency for greater performance. In a bid to inject new ideas into the Agency, Mr President recently appointed Mr. Michael Omeri Agbo-Omeri, a seasoned communicator, an astute administrator and a veteran public relations practitioner as the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency.

Barely two weeks in office, Mr. Omeri has unveiled a new blue-print to reposition NOA in the pursuit of it’s mandate. A new zeal has been introduced into the agency to be driven by volunteer Nigerians for attitudinal transformation. The National Orientation Agency (NOA), is also embarking on a national campaign titled, “Know Your Values,” to inculcate the desired positive values in all Nigerians, especially the youths. This campaign is being executed with the active collaboration of traditional and religious leaders.

Also, the Agency has perfected plans to engage schools and the media to propagate national core values by avoiding negative reportage of events around the country which has portrayed the nation in bad light. School children must also be taught that the bizarre occurrences in the nation in recent times are not in our character and therefore, must not be imbibed.

Moreover, NOA under Mr. Mike Omeri, has announced a new slogan for its nationwide transformation campaign in line with President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda. The slogan is “Do the Right Thing; Transform Nigeria”. This campaign seeks to drum up support for the Transformation Agenda from the premise of positive attitudinal change. Already, this campaign has received commendation from the House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation when it visited the Agency on oversight function.

Also, the National Orientation Agency has beefed up the capacity of its existing War Against Indiscipline (WAI) Brigade Volunteers in line with the new vision of the Agency. The new vision is “to transform NOA along with its various units and organs into a pro-active, knowledge based and activity driven organization able to rise up to evolving challenges in our national space”. National Orientation Agency is therefore integrating into the WAI Brigade, a corps of Neighbourhood Development Ambassadors, a volunteer corps of unemployed professionals, artisans and youths across the various communities in our nation.

The task of this new crop of volunteers will be to engage in Volunteer Sanitation activities, communicate and integrate government policies to the people in their various communities and embark on the Know-Your-Neighbour campaign aimed at fostering national integration and peaceful co-existence.

Agu, Assistant Director (PRESS), NOA