Urges Nigerians to trust govt

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), yesterday, said it had concluded arrangements to start organising a compulsory orientation programme on the national values charter for all appointed and elected government officials.

It said that the programme is considered very critical for building a competent, ethical, practical public service and that any public elected official that fails to undergo the training might likely not be sworn into office.

Disclosing this in Ibadan capital of Oyo State on Thursday, a National Director of NOA, Adeola Adelaja and the Oyo State Director, Olufemi Afolayan, in their separate remarks, posited that by providing such essential training, fostering an understanding of roles and responsibilities, and promoting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, the agency would ensure that elected and appointed government officials are well prepared to serve the public.

The duo said that gone are those days when NOA concentrated on the masses alone and leaving those in government. Adelaja said: “The agency has got the support of not only the Presidency but also the National Assembly to ensure that as the Nigerian masses are oriented towards national values, so also those in government.”

She said that if the country is brought back to the right part, its citizens would definitely have confidence in it and also trust it and would be ready not only to serve it wholeheartedly but also to see it work.

Afolayan, on her part, appealed to Nigerians to trust the government. She said that the fact that the people hardly trust the government has always been a strong factor as to why there are challenges in the country.

The Oyo State Director of NOA also pleaded with Nigerians to bear whatever pains the ongoing reforms of the administration is bringing. She said the fact remains that any form of reform is always associated with a kind of temporary pain.