Why NOA has not been efficient – Official

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, said Monday that underfunding hindered the agency from playing its roles during the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest in Nigeria.

“To say NOA is underfunded is actually an understatement. It is worse than that. The agency, for over two decades, has been abandoned completely. So, what I met is nothing to even talk about,” Mr Issa-Onilu said while fielding questions on the Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday.

Part of the responsibilities of the agencies is to rally support for the government by educating the citizens on government policies.
“You cannot really mobilise Nigerians when you do not even have mobility,” he lamented.

Mr Issa-Onilu, who served as the All Progressives Congress (APC) ‘s National Publicity Secretary, said the N220 million allocated to NOA was insufficient for the agency to carry out its responsibilities.

“There is nothing in NOA,” he said.

He said the NOA owns only five offices in its 812 locations nationwide.

Other challenges he mentioned included understaffing and a lack of mobility.

NOA’s responsibilities

The NOA is responsible for fostering national unity and development by enlightening citizens with accurate and timely information on government policies, activities and programmes.

The agency is also responsible for positively influencing Nigerians’ attitudes, behaviours, and values.

Their key responsibilities also include educating the citizens about government policies, which could reduce grievances that trigger protests.

Mr Issa-Olaniru said NOA is the only agency set up to get citizens oriented and instil patriotism in them.

He also said the agency is working with the president to unveil the National Values Charter, a blueprint to reorient the citizens and public office holders.

‘Protest outcome not surprising’

Mr Issa-Onilu claimed that the outcome of the protest was not surprising.

“A lot of Nigerians said before the protest that there was no way this protest would happen that there would not be violence,” he said.

The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, meant to last for 10 days entered its fifth day on Monday.

The protesters seek an end to bad governance and alleviation of hunger.

The demonstrations turned violent in different northern states, with protesters looting stores.

Security forces have reportedly killed 17 persons during the protests.

On Saturday, security forces shot at journalists and peaceful protesters in Abuja.

Mr Issa-Onilu had alleged in an article titled ‘Burning down the barn?‘ that the protest organisers were bent on tearing the country apart.

He accused some of them of having “a penchant for chaos among certain citizens who harbour resentment for the country and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He also blamed the current economic hardship plaguing Nigerians on bad decisions made by the past administrations.

He insisted President Bola Tinubu understands the protesters’ demands and has been working hard to resolve the problems before the protests.