Reps calls on leaders to learn major Nigerian languages

The lawmaker also  called on Nigerian top government functionaries to compulsorily learn the major languages so as to make governance more effective and grass root oriented.   Hon. Nwankwo stated this on  Wednesday when he led other members of the committee on oversight functions to the  head office of the National Institute for Culture Orientation (NICO) […]

The lawmaker also  called on Nigerian top government functionaries to compulsorily learn the major languages so as to make governance more effective and grass root oriented.  
 Hon. Nwankwo stated this on  Wednesday when he led other members of the committee on oversight functions to the  head office of the National Institute for Culture Orientation (NICO) in Abuja.
Nwankwo noted that  the cord that connects all the cultural tribes and composite unit of Nigeria was the cultural identity, saying although, it may differ but there is a centrality and this centrality can only be built by NICO.
He called for  more budgetary allocation to the National institute of Cultural Orientation NICO for improved productivity.
He said, “I will like to charge you to continue in your rich cultural programme, I know that your indigenous language stride is a commendable one, if I have my way it should be mandatory for all public civil servants, the shakers and movers of each sectors, Directors and permanent Secretaries and Ministers should have elementary knowledge of major Nigerian languages.
“We need to work hard to see ourselves as not just a people but as Nigerians, not necessarily the Igbo culture, Fulani culture or Yoruba culture.
“Also, in the mix of the diversity in culture there can also be centrality of national culture, so that there will be a thing that can be identified as truly and proudly Nigerian.”
Speaking further,  Nwankwo said, “Our improvement strategy number one is the budgetary intervention because before now there was a very low budgetary allocation to the sector which is affecting the development of the this sector.
Earlier, in his presentation the Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, while outlining achievements and all the developmental projects embarked by the commission appealed to the lawmakers to increase the budget allocation to the institute which he said was the lowest among the agencies under the ministry.
Ayakoroma also called for monetary allocation for the timely completion of its training school at Kuje in Abuja.
“If NICO can activate the NICO training school in Kuje it will go a long way to change the face of NICO in the sense that facilities there could be used for conferences, workshops, seminars by other organization apart from NICO which is a platform for us to diversify that will boost the activities of the institute,” he said.