The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has announced the readiness of his ministry to commence the implementation of the National Values Charter in line with the President’s commitment.
Idris stated this in Abuja on Wednesday while declaring open the expanded retreat of the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
He said the National Values 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 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.
“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.
“On the other hand, to sensitize 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,” he stated.
Idris pledged to press forward boldly and confidently with the determination to foster a country where citizens and the country share deep mutual love and respect for each other.
The Minister said NOA has become one of the most essential tools for shaping national narratives and conversations, promoting unity against a backdrop of diversity, and fostering a sense of inclusiveness and belonging in every part of the country.
He praised the Director General, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu, for adapting to the dynamics of public communication by leveraging technology to scale up public awareness and engagement with a feedback mechanism in keeping with the realities of the 21st century.
“I am very pleased to note that the NOA, under the leadership of Mr. Issa-Onilu, has prioritized technology in the work of the Agency, in keeping with the realities of the 21st century.
“The NOA has become one of the most technology-compliant agencies in Nigeria today, taking the lead in the deployment of digital tools and technologies like The Mobiliser App, as well as a well-received Artificial Intelligence platform for civic awareness and engagement, among other initiatives,” he said.
The Minister described the expanded retreat as a step in the right direction, which is envisioned to offer another opportunity to refine the vision and to redouble the effort of NOA towards advancing on a journey that has unlimited potential to shape the future of Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Director General of the NOA, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu said the NOA is undergoing a significant restructuring and demonstrating its adaptability to the changing population landscape.
Mr. Issa-Onilu noted that Nigeria had a more balanced demographic during the MAMSER era, but in the last three decades, the Nigerian demographics have shifted dramatically, with youths 45 years and below constituting 93 per cent of the country’s population.
He noted that the NOA has been proactive in the last ten months, embarking on massive retooling and building on the foundation the past Director Generals laid.
“We understand the need for modern platforms that can assist us in interacting with Nigerians.
“Towards realising this need, on Wednesday, March 20, the Hon. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, launched the NOA mobile app, Mobiliser, in Kano.
“The Mobiliser has many crucial features for engaging with Nigerians, particularly the Nigerian youths.
“The Mobiliser app, available for download on both the Play Store and Apple Store, has also strengthened our ability to deliver on our mandate to generate citizens’ feedback for the government.
“The new NOA television and radio studios are also ready. The studios will enhance our capacity to produce news, features, analysis, and sectoral programmes on government policies.
“The Explainer newsletter is another engagement platform that NOA has implemented in the last four months.
“Taking advantage of our presence in every corner of the country, we have built 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, carpenter, okada riders, vulcanisers, etc.)”, he added.
