As part of efforts aimed at bridging trust deficit and tackling disinformation, Bayelsa State government and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have partnered to improve civic engagement.
This was unveiled when NOA Bayelsa State Directorate, led by South South Zonal Director, Ibor Otu, visited the Bayelsa State Ministry of Information.
Bayelsa Commissioner for Information, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, acknowledged the historical impact of Mass Mobilisation for Self Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), the progenitor of NOA.
To Otu, “MAMSER thrived because it had the cooperation of both tiers of government. That cooperation gave it the reach and resources to enlighten citizens meaningfully. We share similar mandates. We are both tasked with information dissemination, civic education, and mobilization. Why shouldn’t we work as one?” he asked rhetorically.
The state NOA Director, Olobio Grace Ebiakpo, described the visit as timely, noting that the agency was expanding its programmes to align with national imperatives—especially around health, economic recovery, and behavioural change.
Head of the Department of Orientation and Publicity in the Ministry of Information Sophia Obi, said citizens must be carried along and that is where NOA is indispensable. To her, “they have structures, manpower, and the grassroots penetration that can support what the ministry is trying to achieve.”
On her part, Koku-Obiyai, stated, “Bayelsa is transforming, and our people need to understand and support that transformation. From health insurance schemes to youth empowerment programmes and digital economic opportunities, our people need guidance. NOA can help amplify our messaging.”
To support the agency, the commissioner also presented materials to the NOA team, signaling her readiness to walk the talk. The gesture, while symbolic, marked a starting point for renewed institutional cooperation.
This lack of coordination has resulted in duplicated efforts, inefficient campaigns, and a scattered communication strategy. “That’s the gap this visit is trying to close,” said Otu.
“We want a coordinated strategy that reaches the people effectively.”
Media analyst, Alex Ekiye noted, ‘you can’t fight fake news with silence. But you can fight it with proactive, joint messaging. That’s where NOA and the Ministry must come in.”
Both parties acknowledged the importance of data and monitoring in ensuring the success of joint campaigns. To Olobio, “we need to measure what works. That’s the only way we can scale up successful initiatives and learn from failures.”
As the meeting concluded, there was a shared optimism that Bayelsa could become a model for intergovernmental collaboration on public orientation.
Both the Ministry and NOA are committed to holding follow-up sessions to translate their conversation into actionable programs.
For the people of Bayelsa, this renewed synergy promises to improve access to government information, reduce the spread of misinformation, and deepen civic participation.
In the words of Koku-Obiyai, “We cannot build a prosperous Bayelsa if the people don’t understand the policies driving that prosperity. NOA is here to help make that understanding a reality.”
For NOA, the visit was not just a courtesy call—it was a campaign to reintroduce itself to state actors and reclaim its central role in Nigeria’s development story. And in Bayelsa, it may have just found its most committed partner yet.
