David Williams
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ekiti State Directorate on Wednesday held a sensitisation walk around the state to educate residents on national value charter.
The sensitisation walk, which commenced in the early hours of Wednesday, kicked off in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital in areas such as Adebayo axis, Dalimore street, Okesa market, Ijigbo, Okeyimi, Oja Bisi, Oja Oba and ended at the palace of Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe.
Speaking with journalists, the acting state director of the agency, Kemi Akomolede said the walk titled: “Sensitisation and Public Enlightenment on National Identity Project, National Values Charters and National Symbols”, was to sensitize the people of Ekiti on the need to inculcate the spirit of value, patriotism, integrity in their character for the growth and development of the country.
Akomolede noted that there is a need for the national core value to be inculcated into school curriculum, which will enable pupils to respect the value and culture of the country.
Her words, “What we are doing this morning is simply a national assignment as we know that our mandate is to propagate government policy and program.
“Our DG came up with a national program called national identity project, under it we have seven for seven which are citizens’ codes and Nigerian promise.
“There is a national value charter, meaning there is an agreement between two parties, the Nigerians have to fulfil their own duties and at the same time the government has to keep to its own promise; it’s a two-way affair.
“There are a lot of things that the government has in store for us as citizens and at the same thing, citizens must also fulfill their own responsibilities.
“Under the Seven for Seven, we have our national symbol that we must respect because that is what identify us as citizens of this nation such as currency, flag, coat of arms, international passports; those are our symbols and we need to give regard to them.
“Thanks to our DG, Mallam Issa-Onilu, who came up with so many ideas called ‘Institutionalisation of government policy”, meaning all these policies must be done in a way to be institutionalized.
“We have to inculcate it into the school curriculum, so that our values that are being eroded can be retrieved”.
On his part, the state NOA deputy director of Programme, Isaac Akinloye urged the residents to imbibe the core values of the programme and adhere to the projects and initiatives of President Bola Tinubu.
He also urged them to be patient in order to enjoy the dividends of the programme in the long run.