The Oyo State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Mrs Ajolayo Sinmiat Akande has called on all community stakeholders, government ministries, department and agencies across Oyo State to further sensitize the public on five thematic areas of government policies, programs and activities such as Nelfund Students Loan Scheme; Flooding and Disaster Preparedness; Security Awareness; Value Re-orientation through Students and Youths; and The Nigeria Identity and National Symbol.
The sensitisation program which took place on Thursday at the Oyo State Directorate in Agodi Ibadan saw the State Director, Mrs Ajolayo Akande reel out the essence of the hall meeting which according to her is a national sensitisation campaign aimed to address key issues bedeviling the nation’s morality, core value, security, education and flood management.
Mrs Ajolayo Akande also elucidated the speech of the NOA Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu on the growth and achievements of the agency over the last two years and how they have met information needs across all demographic of the national populace while also engaging the public on government programs such as Nelfund Students Loan, Social Safety Nets Expansion, Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) and The Industrial Training Fund (ITF), other policies include Flooding and Disaster Preparedness, National Security Awareness, National Value Re-orientation (Students and Youth) and Nigerian Identity & National Symbol Sensitisation.
“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund was established by the current administration of President Bola Tinubu to ensure that no Nigerian person who has qualified to go for tertiary education is prevented from doing so as a result of inability to pay school fees. The Conditional Cash Transfer has been awarded to over 2 million households, Trader Moni and Farmer Mini are being introduced. Renovation of 700 rural schools amid other programs” Mrs Ajolayo Akande stated.
The Chairman of the Program and Baale of Oloka, Chief Moshood Olaleye highlighted the achievements of the present administration led by President Bola Tinubu in the last two years amid the newly introduced policies and economic reforms with comparative analysis on the state of the foreign reserves, heavy foreign and domestic debt, misappropriation of fund and national resources, strike action from tertiary institutions and entrenched corruption in oil sector.
“President Bola Tinubu also implemented the students loan, national drainage masterplan, national security awareness that has witnessed significant progress. Our value reorientation has depleted and led to cultism, pornography, cybercrime, indecent dressing, examination malpractice, unsafe graduation practices among the youth” Chief Olaleye added.
The representative of the Commissioner of Police, CSP Adegoke Ademola urged parents to always remind their children on the importance of humility and morals, the harms of improper graduation ceremony. He also reminded the public to say something whenever they see something and always support security personnel in their duties.
The Zonal Director of the premier Nigerian TV station, NTA, Mr Taiwo Iterogba expressed his delight at the magnificent and level of improvement in the service of the NOA since the inception of this government and Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu tenure as DG. He said NOA must be commended for their efforts and he wished they were this active in the past when it was only NTA doing the sensitisation policies. “I urged the NOA to also focus their attention on this moral decadence to the parents and youth, so they can continue to preach value to their children”.
The Assistant Director of DSS, E.A Usoroh also appreciated NOA through sensitisation, timely information updates on national values and collaborative efforts with security and other government agencies.
The Iyaloja of Ibadanland, Alhaja Iswat Ameringun Oyinlola also reminded parents to always visit their children in schools uninvited. She maintained that some are living couples lives in higher institutions. Some parents even receive money from their children without knowledge of the source of this wealth.
Other stakeholders present at the town hall meeting include Immigration Deputy Controller, D.A Omoniwa; from the Oyo State Fire Service, Mr Odebunmi Gbadebo; from the Vigilante Group, Mr Osela Abdulwasiu; the heads of the Muslim Communities; Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN); the Isese – Traditional Worshippers; the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOWMAN) and a host of others.
