NOA Targets 100m Nigerians In New Civic Campaign To Imbue Patriotism
By Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has inaugurated a comprehensive nationwide sensitization and public enlightenment campaign targeting at least three million citizens in each of the 36 states of the federation.
The Syndicate reports that the campaign is designed to bridge the gap between the government and citizens by creating direct community engagement forums where Nigerians can interact with officials, ask questions, and receive clarifications on key government policies and programmes.
The Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, announced this at a press conference in Damaturu, Yobe State.
He was represented by the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Alhaji Nura Yusuf Kobi.
“The media is a vital partner in this process. Your role in shaping public opinion, building trust, and setting the agenda for national development cannot be overemphasized,” Issa-Onilu said, adding that the campaign would be executed through press briefings, town-hall meetings, school visits, roadshows, market rallies, and radio programmes.
The campaign is structured around five core thematic areas, which included national values re-orientation for students and youths, flood mitigation and disaster preparedness, sensitisation on government policies and programmes, promotion of Nigerian identity and symbols, and national security awareness.
The DG outlined several key government programmes that the campaign will promote to ensure citizens are well-informed.
They include the students education loan, which has so far benefited over 600,000 students in tertiary institutions.
According to him, the Federal Government has disbursed more than N59 billion directly to the institutions for the students tuition fees.
The NOA official said the Federal Government is currently renovating 700 rural schools nationwide.
Issa-Onilu said over two million households have benefitted from the Conditional Cash Transfer. TraderMoni, an interest-free loan of up to N100,000, and FarmerMoni loan of up to N300,000.
The DG added that the Federal Government has earmarked N110 billion to support 150,000 youths under the National Youth Investment Fund.
He also spoke on the efforts being made to enhance security in the country, saying government has deployed security architecture, including drones, armoured vehicles, and rapid-response units to various parts of the country.
On flood, Issa-Onilu called on Nigerians to take preventive measures and monitor the timely information provided by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to avoid disaster.
The NOA Director-General said in 2024, the Federal Government released N3 billion to each state for drainage evacuation, desilting, and relocation of people away from flood-prone areas.
He said the campaign will also focus on promoting discipline, civic responsibility, and patriotism, while discouraging negative practices like extreme graduation rituals.
Issa-Onilu said they would work with Yobe State Government under Governor Mai Mala Buni to also highlight the state’s significant initiatives in agriculture, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure.
