Issa-Onilu: NOA was abandoned by previous governments… restructuring ongoing

Lanre Issa-Onilu, director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), says the organisation is undergoing significant restructuring.

Issa-Onilu spoke during the expanded retreat of the NOA in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said over the past 10 months, the agency has revamped its structures and platform in a bid to revitalise its personnel and tools “adversely affected by years of government neglect”.

“It is disheartening that such a vital institution was so long abandoned by the government. But we are now on the path of rejuvenation, filling us up with hope and possibility,” he said.

“NOA is undergoing a significant restructuring and demonstrating its adaptability to the changing population landscape.

“In the last three decades, the Nigerian demographics has shifted dramatically with youths 45 years and below constituting 93 percent of the nation’s population. NOA now tries to engage them.”

Issa-Onilu said the NOA understands the need for a modern platform to interact with citizens, adding that the agency has taken advantage of its presence in every corner of the country to build enormous data resources.

“For instance, we have the contact details of thousands of chairpersons and secretaries of trade, artisanal, community development organisations, and civil societies in all the local government areas, through whom we are reaching their numerous members, such as the yam sellers, onion sellers, farmers, barbers, tailors, electricians, auto mechanics, carpenters, okada riders, vulcanisers, etc,” he added.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, announced the readiness of his ministry to commence the implementation of the national values charter.

He said the charter, one of the flagship initiatives of his ministry through the NOA, has been carefully crafted and designed to ensure that all Nigerians are fully aware of their rights and protections within the ambit of the law.

Idris said governments at all levels are aware of all the constitutionally guaranteed obligations to the citizenry.

“On the one hand, to ensure that all Nigerians are fully aware of their rights and protections under the constitution and the laws of the land and that governments at all levels are equally aware of all the constitutionally guaranteed obligations that they have to the citizenry. This first goal is encapsulated in the seven (7) ‘Core Promises’ aspect of the Charter,” he said.

“On the other hand, to sensitise and awaken all Nigerians to all of our responsibilities as citizens of this great and beautiful country — which means the responsibilities that we have not just to one another, but also to the government and the nation.

“This second goal is captured in the seven (7) ‘commitments’ aspect of the charter.”