Pulse.ng : NOA advocates rapid value reorientation, attitudinal change

By Sani Idris

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), has called for a radical approach to national value orientation and attitudinal change campaign, designed to encourage patriotism and unity among Nigerians.

The State Director of the agency in Kaduna, Mr Hamisu Mayere, made the call at a news briefing in Kaduna to sensitise Nigerians on the country’s National Anthem and National Values Charter.

Mayere said that the campaign would include the development of a curriculum for citizenship education.

He said that the campaign would be executed through the establishment of National Values Brigade in all schools and implementation of the National Identity Project.

According to him, the campaign will promote the entrenchment of value orientation processes through young age indoctrination and provision of template for evaluation of the real Nigerian character.

The director also said that the agency had been mandated by the Federal Executive Council to ensure the restoration of national dignity and standardisation of national symbols.

He listed the national symbols to include the National Flag, National Anthem, National Pledge and the Coat of Arms.

He said: “The council approved that the first stanza of the National Anthem should be rendered at all official functions.

“It approved that the three stanzas should be for special occasions such as Independence Day, Democracy Day, and inauguration of the National Assembly, Children’s Day, Armed Forces Remembrance Day and Workers’ Day.

“The third stanza of the new National Anthem be adopted as a national prayer.”

Mayere said that NOA had the responsibility to ensure that the national symbols were accorded respect, properly displayed and handled to promote strong national identity, unity and pride.

He said that the federal government had evolved a National Values Charter, which would be included in school’s curricular to form an important component for government officials pre-resumption retreat.

He said that the agency had adopted new methodologies to reach the citizens, especially the young people that made up 70 per cent of the nation’s population, to promote government’s programmes and policies.

He equally said that the agency had developed an Artificial Intelligence tool, known as CLHEEAN, to address the challenges of the new media landscape.

The CLHEEAN community project by NOA is a citizens-based plan focused on addressing crime, hygiene and health, lawlessness, environment, education, abuse and narcotics.

He said that other platforms that formed part of NOA’s broader strategy included the Explainer Newsletter, Mobiliser App, In-house studios, Learn2Win Gamification, social media, and community engagements, among others.

“These platforms are part of NOA’s strategy to leverage modern communication technologies and methods to effectively reach diverse audience segments across Nigeria,” Mayere said.

In a remark, the Agency’s Director Legal, Williams Dogo, said that the agency had been given the mandate to promote government programmes and policies.

Dogo said that the agency had the duty to sensitise the citizenry on what was expected of them and to provide government with the feedback on citizens’ expectations from the government. (NAN)