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Tag: NOA

  • UNICEF, NOA mobilises journalists to fight HIV in Kaduna

    UNICEF, NOA mobilises journalists to fight HIV in Kaduna

    The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund ( UNICEF ) and the National Orientation Agency ( NOA ) have mobilised 43 journalists to check the increasing prevalence of HIV/AIDS among Adolescent and Young Persons ( AYPs ) in Kaduna State.

    The Officer in charge of UNICEF, Kaduna Field Office, Dr Idris Baba, said at a One-day Media Dialogue on AYPs HIV Intervention held in Zaria, that the move was necessary to curb the increasing HIV related deaths among AYPs.

    Baba said that UNICEF had committed significant resources to supporting AYPs HIV intervention in the state, noting that much would not be achieved without support from the media.

    “For various reasons ranging from gender, biological to socio-economic; young women have a higher HIV prevalence rate and were infected earlier in life than men of the same age group.

    “So far, only about seven per cent of AYPs in the state knows their HIV status due to lack of HIV/AIDS awareness and because HIV services in health facilities are not youth-friendly.

    “This is why UNICEF in collaboration with the state government launched the AYP-HIV intervention project, a combination of HIV counselling, testing and treatment.

    “The project is being implemented in seven local government areas of Chikun, Igabi, Lere, Kagarko, Birnin Gwari, Jaba and Jema’a,’’ he said.

    Baba explained that youths were not comfortable discussing HIV related issues with elderly people, adding that they felt comfortable with their peers and open up more.

    “This means that we will break more grounds when we engage youths to sensitise their peers about the virus to increase demand for the services.

    Read also: UNICEF spends N200m to tackle HIV in Kaduna

    “It is for this reason that we trained 624 AYPs as demand creators, counsellors and testers for the project.

    “468 are creating demand for HIV services, while 156 are providing HIV counselling and testing services in the seven LGAs,’’ he said.

    Baba said the project had reached out to 147,196 AYPs with HIV information in the seven LGAs from August to date of which 39,927 were tested and received result.

    “Our goal is to ensure that 90 per cent of HIV positive AYPs know their status, 90 per cent HIV positive placed on treatment and achieve 90 per cent viral load suppression among the HIV positive by 2020,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Media and External Relation Officer, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Malam Rabiu Musa, had said the meeting was organised to discusse issues affecting AYPs in the state.

    Musa said that the meeting provided the needed avenue to interact with journalists in Kaduna and design effective ways of reaching out to the AYPs through media reportage.

    Also, Malam Lawal Haruna, a Deputy Director, NOA Kaduna Office, also said that media was crucial in winning the war against HIV in the state.

    “This is because the media informs, educates and influences peoples’ opinion and decisions with the potential of reaching a large audience.

    “We therefore, need the media to continue with their support of providing the needed awareness on HIV/AIDS among young persons on how to remain HIV free,’’ Haruna said.

    NAN

  • Firm, NOA hold dialogue on economy

    Synergos Nigeria and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) are partnering to organise a summit on ‘Youth using Ethnic Diversity for Agriculture Excellence’a foundation dialogue for a more inclusive and collaborative economy among younger Nigerians.

    The dialogue, which holds in Abuja tomorrow is coming at a time the nation has begun building the foundation of a diversified economy and shift of focus from oil-led exports to agriculture led growth as contained in the Economic Recovery Growth Plan 2017.

    Tagged: the Synergos Diversity Dialogue, the summit will be chaired by Peggy Dulany, Founder and Chair of Synergos as well as the Global Philanthropists Circle, she co-founded the latter in 2001.She has continued the tradition of her family and late father American philanthropist, David Rockefeller to ensure Bridging Leadership and Collaboration deliver inclusive economies for the Poor.

    Other guests at the summit are Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment and Garba Abari of the National Orientation Agency. The event is facilitated by Synergos Nigeria, a non-profit organisation with focus on facilitating system changes and influencing sustainable development.

    Synergos Institute founded in 1986 is a global nonprofit organization that brings people together to solve complex problems of poverty and create opportunities for individuals and their communities to thrive. It was founded to promote collaboration among grassroots groups and government or business leaders and organizations, people who otherwise would not have access to each other, so that they can develop long-term relationships and forge new paths in overcoming poverty.

    Adewale Ajadi, head of Synergos Nigeria, explained that the organisation’s resolve to put together the summit was informed by the progress of Nigeria towards systemic improvement in Agriculture in which Diversity is a silent but critical player.

    Ajadi said: “This event is being organised to facilitate discussions on driving a truly inclusive economy through youth, particularly youth in agriculture.”

    Synergos in previous engagements have worked on bridging leadership gaps between Federal and State stakeholders, provided collaboration platforms to promote agribusiness in Kogi, Benue and Kaduna States and facilitated a systems-thinking approach to agriculture in Nigeria.

  • Poverty, ignorance, Nigeria’s problem, not restructuring – Muiz Banire

    Poverty, ignorance, Nigeria’s problem, not restructuring – Muiz Banire

    Dr Muiz Banire, the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressive Congress (APC), on Monday said poverty and lack of enlightenment were major problems facing Nigeria, not restructuring.

    Banire made the assertion on the sidelines of an Independence Day Anniversary programme organised by the Lagos State chapters of the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO) and National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the programme tagged: “United Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities” started on Sept. 29 with series of activities.

    Banire told NAN that poverty and ignorance were the main reasons for agitation for secession in some parts of the country.

    He called for right representation of people to quell agitation, adding that Nigerians should also learn to ask questions from their representatives at various levels.

    “People agitate only when they feel offended and deprived, but the solution for deprivation does not lie in restructuring. It will never end.

    “If you split today, some people in the split group will still rise up later to agitate for one thing or the other.

    “It does not solve our problems. What matters is that we must be happy, and to be happy, it means we must enjoy equal opportunity under this system.

    “It is deprivation and hunger that are causing problems facing the country today.

    “When we eliminate all inequalities, everybody will be happy with the system.

    “When hunger is taken care of, most of the issues threatening our unity will go,” Banire said.

    He called for respect for the rule of law and youth education to foster unity in Nigeria.

    “Restructuring is not our problem. Our people are not enlightened to ask questions from their representatives,” the APC chieftain said.

    Banire had earlier at the panel discussion urged youths, as major stakeholders in the Nigerian Project, to rise up and take charge of the nation’s leadership.

    He said that there was the need to build the capacity of youths to fill the vacuum in the leadership gap in the country.

    Banire said that youths had taken over the social media and should use the medium to propagate ideologies of integrity, transparency and accountability, which President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration represent.

    Also, a security expert, retired Col. Hassan Stanislous-Labo, said that restructuring would calm various forms of agitations in various parts of the country.

    Stanislous-Labo said that President Buhari has the vision to right all the wrongs in the country, but “his cabinet members did not have the capacity to execute his mission’’.

    In his remarks, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora said that the tendency to manipulate religion and diversity was a challenge which must be addressed with proper conflict management.

    Mamora said that diversity could be turned to strength by listening to the grievances of the various groups.

    Also, Mr Dayo Bush-Alebiosu, a former House of Representatives member, urged youths to take advantage of their population to take over the nation’s leadership.

    Mr Waheed Ishola, the Lagos State Director of NOA, called on those fanning the embers of disharmony to have a change of attitude for the overall interest of the nation.

    “We must strive to achieve that strength in our diversity. We believe that the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct,” he said.

    In his comments, Mr Biodun Ajiboye, the BYO’s National Secretary, called for a restructuring of the mind of Nigerians.

    Also, the Lagos State Coordinator of BYO, Mr Waheed Odunuga, said that lack of love, trust and greed of the political class were the causes of disunity in the nation, urging youths to rise up for national rebirth.

    Sheik Abdulrahman Ahmad, the National Missioner Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, decried the trend where youths now worship money and mortgaging their conscience.

  • Biafra: Group urges South-Eastern Govs, rulers to pacify agitators

    Biafra: Group urges South-Eastern Govs, rulers to pacify agitators

    A Non-government Organisation, Project Nigeria First has asked Governors and traditional rulers from the South Eastern part of the country to find ways of pacifying youths of the region, especially sympathisers of the Indigenous People of Biafra in the overall interest of the nation and the region.

    National Coordinator of the group, Uche Nwabukwu told a news conference in Abuja that leaders of the region should work hard to give the youths a sense of belonging while asking parents and guardians to caution their children and wards against engaging in acts that may be inimical to the unity and peace of the country.

    Nwabukwu said while they respect the right of any group of people to engage in self-determination, such rights must not include the license to engage in violent activities, stressing that the government should work through the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with civil society groups on the reorientation of citizens on the values of patriotism.

    He urged foreign governments and commentators to exercise restraint in their comments and actions over IPOB, adding that no matter their love for Nigeria, they cannot have more at stake than Nigerians.

    He commends the federal and state governments for taking proactive measures to prevent what would have been a conflagration across Nigeria, adding that the deployment of troops to the south-east was very timely as it went a long way to checkmate the activities of IPOB and prevent a breakdown of law and order. 

    He said further that the proscription of IPOB by the south-east governors quenched the oxygen needed by the group to survive and sent a clear message to the secessionist group that the governors, who were elected by the people support a United, strong and peaceful Nigeria.

    He said further that “the proactive measures to prevent reprisals undertaken by governors of the north, as well as the visit in solidarity to the south-east and south-south states, did so much to mitigate the tense situation.”

    He condemns, in strong terms, “those who directly or indirectly support IPOB by stirring controversy over the legality of deploying troops to the south-east and the proscription of IPOB. We commend President Buhari for being proactive and pragmatic. 

    “We appeal to politicians, religious leaders and opinion formers including commentators and public affair analysts to exhibit responsibility and patriotism rather than play to the gallery at this critical time. Comments made by certain individuals strengthen the hand of IPOB and this is not good for the country. Let us remind everyone that if by acts of omission or commission. We allow a conflagration, none of us will be spared.

    “We condemn those no have been circulating incendiary and divisive text messages and videos relating to IPOB crisis. Since the authenticity of some of these videos cannot be ascertained, we appealed to Nigerians to desist from spreading them because they can escalate the situation.”

  • NOA sues for peace in Borno

    NOA sues for peace in Borno

    The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Borno, has called on people of the state to eschew acts capable of disrupting the peaceful co-existence in the country.

     

    Mr Danladi Emmanuel, NOA’s Information Officer, made the call in a statement issued on Saturday in Maiduguri.

    Emmanuel said the call became necessary in view of the recent breach of peace by some parts of the country.

     

    “We should not engage in actions that would undermine the unity and progress of the nation.

     

    “We must support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which focused on promoting unity, peace and progress of the country,“ he said.

     

    He urged community and religious leaders to admonish and sensitise their followers on the need to live in harmony with one another and remain law abiding.

     

    “We should mobilise to disown and work against any person or group trying to cause unrest in any part of the state,’’ he said.

  • NOA, BoA partner on loans to farmers

    The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) and National Orientation Agency (NOA) have partnered to improve the rate of loan repayment by farmers under the Anchor Borrowers policy.

     NOA Director-General  Dr. Garba Abari, in a statement by Head, Press Unit of the agency, Paul Odenyi, made this known when the NOA team visited  BOA on Wednesday in Abuja.

     Dr. Abari said the Federal Government had shown the necessary political will to reposition agriculture through its policy direction in the sector.

     The NOA boss said both institutions have the relevant platforms to reposition agriculture to make widespread impact in the country.

       BOA Managing Director Kabir Adamu said the programme was confronted with non-performing loans because farmers thought they were gifts.

     Adamu said the bank hopes to register 15 million farmers in the next two years.

  • Experts seek NOA’s assistance on mental health

    Experts seek NOA’s assistance on mental health

    Experts have called for better synergy between the health sector and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to increase awareness for mental health.

    Speaking at the 14th Annual Scientific Conference on mental health held at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, the experts pointed out that many people were still ignorant of mental health and that the situation had been compounded by the recession in the country.

    The conference, which had as its theme ’’Mental health in a recessed economy’’, was attended by experts from all walks of life.

    Faculty Conference Committee chairperson, Prof Adeola Onakoya, said everyone has a role to play in mental health promotion because, “we all have mental health needs even in the absence of diagnosis of mental illness. The concept of mental health promotion is a potent tool for guiding policy makers, public officials, civil society, and employers of labour and medical professionals in the behavioral health needs of the society. Nigeria can do better in mental health”.

    A Professor of Psychiatry, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu,  Jude Ohaeri, who underscored the need for the NOA to be more involved, maintained that paying more attention to mental health was one way of arresting the sickness.

    She said: “Encouragement of mental health does not have to involve multi-million naira projects. Taking a cue from the World Health Organisation (WHO) that says mental health is not merely an absence of metal disorders.

    ”Everything we learnt in the medical school is about the disease part of it whereas people who have mental health disease are not really the problem of this country, the problem of this country is not that we have psychiatric patients aspiring to be a senator, it is that people who are deficient in aspect of humanity seized this power and they rule us at whatever level, whether they are class teacher or whatever, that is the problem, so we are not able to ‘catch’ them. Those are the people who are deficient in humanity and are in charge of our daily lives.

    She continued: “Mental health promotion is not only aimed at preventing the condition or depression, but to make up for  deficiency in peoples’ character, emotion, those things that make for the fact that while we are not depressed we are not optimistic, we don’t love our neighbours  as ourselves. Those are things affecting our mental health.

    “In this situation of a severely depressed national economy, promotion of mental health is a cost-effective strategy for national development, spanning many facets of societal functioning that has the potential to engender citizens’ resilience, optimism and the other positive emotions and character traits that build the human foundation for the flourishing society.”

    Ohaeri said the NOA should collaborate with experts in the field, “to articulate a mental health promotion campaign, what will engender internal locus of control, positive emotions and traits, as a means to heal our national divisions by fostering right human relations and bring peace to our nation’’.

    Nordical Fertility Centre Madical Director, Dr Ajayi who bagged Icon of Health Promotion Award from the Faculty, said infertile people too face stresses which lead to depression, a mental health issue.

    “People who don’t have children feel something is missing,’’he said, advising such people to seek medical attention and counselling because there are medical answers for it, including IVF (In vitro Fertilisation).”

    Ajayi said the award was a wakeup call for him to do more in promoting mental health, especially infertility.

  • FCTA teams up with NOA against polio,flood

    As part of measures to strengthen the war against poliomyelitis, threat of flood and protect the environment, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has declared its intention to collaborate and work closely with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

    The FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello disclosed this while receiving the FCT Director of the National Orientation Agency who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

    Bello who commended the FCT NOA for their support to the FCT Administration, stressed that the administration requires the services of the agency now more than ever before in sensitising the residents, particularly the Abuja office.

    The Minister expressed the Administration’s preparedness to leverage on the very wide network of the NOA in the fight against polio following the warning from experts that FCT is at a high risk of its re-emergence.

    He pointed out that the vulnerability of Abuja became so pronounced because of its position as a major hub for travelers as well as a safe haven for people affected by insurgency and militancy across the country.

    “We will also collaborate with the NOA in other important areas which include a sustained campaign on the protection of the sanctity of lives, especially that of children against harmful traditions, the environment and preservation of the Abuja Master-plan,” the Minister said.

    “As you know more than I do, change and being able to inculcate the spirit of change in individuals and communities is a very difficult task and governance at any level cannot really achieve its full potentials if you do not carry the governed along.”

    Bello added: “Over the last one year or so, we’ve tried to strengthen institutions and the capacities of those that man the institutions so that we truly deliver on our mandates. In trying to do so, the greatest challenges I and my team are faced with is, being able to reorient people to do what is right”.

    He reiterated that Abuja is the only city in the entire federation that is a creation of law, noting that everything done in Abuja is governed by one set of regulations or the other and these regulations are clearly enunciated and enacted to guide and help us run the city.

    Earlier in his address, the NOA Director, Mr. David Manya Dogo, commended the leadership by example style of the Minister, saying, “I dare say you are one of the leaders who is leading by example and we commend you for that.”

    The NOA Director said the agency is very active in the campaign to prevent meningitis and polio, pointing out that they have been working at the level of Area Councils to see that people are adequately sensitized on these very important issues.

    Other areas of the agency’s activities the Director said include working with the INEC on the continuous voters registration exercise to ensure proper mobilization and sensitization of the citizens, particularly the residents of FCT on how they can partake in the exercise.

    He assured the Minister that NOA is working together with the Task Force on the decongestion of the Nyanya-Orozo-Jikwoyi-Karshi road to evolve a strategic communication plan that leverages on dialogue sessions and citizen engagement.

  • NOA DG for lecture

    The Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, will today deliver the prestigious senior division lecture of the Armed Forces Staff College, Jaji, in Kaduna State.

    According to Paul Odenyi, Head of Press Unit in the agency, the event is part of the courses that prepares students of the  college for management position in the military.

    The lecture will focus on the role of the agency and other such institutions in the war against insurgency and other low intensity conflict.

    The lecture will also appraise the effort of the agency in galvanising public opinion in support of the military and its campaigns. It will also review the work of the national information center and how agencies of government can worktogether to support the military in its operations around the country.

  • NOA to communicate government policies, programmes to grassroots – DG

    NOA to communicate government policies, programmes to grassroots – DG

    The Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari, says the local government assembly, a feedback platform, will enable the agency to communicate government policies and programmes to the rural dwellers.

    Abari made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

    According to him, most of the activities of government are communicated through electronic and print media, which many rural dwellers cannot afford.

    “As a result, many Nigerians are left in the dark about government policies and programmes, thereby hindering feedback.

    “It is therefore with the consciousness of these realities that NOA, in view of its mandate of sensitisation, orientation, awareness creation and harnessing feedback from citizens, has deployed several platforms to reach out.

    “The local government assembly is one of such platforms created and positioned to explain the rationale behind government activities to rural dwellers,” Abari said.

    He said that government had several policies and programmes that were of huge benefit to the citizens who were not aware of such programmes or do not understand the procedure to access the benefits.

    “We will use this assembly platform to disseminate information to and get feedback on government activities from the rural dwellers.

    “It is also a tool to fight corruption. When they know what is due to them, they will be able to enquire from their representatives in order not to be short changed,” he said.