By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi.
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Bauchi will soon hold town hall meetings in all the twenty Local Government Areas of the state to educate people at the grassroots about the programmes of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the country.
Bauchi state NOA Acting Director, Nuru Yusuf Kobi who unveiled the agency’s plan, said the town hall meeting will dwell more on the change mantra of the government.
“We want to dwell more on the change mantra of the government; we want to talk more to the people so that they key-in to support the government in this direction”, Kobi said.
The Acting Director, who was speaking during a familiarization visit to the Bauchi State Council of the NUJ, said in addition, the agency will organize for where issues of insecurity in the state and the nation at large will be discussed.
“We intend to organize for, to discuss the issue of insecurity, how far the government had done, what are some of the provisions that will make the security outfits to be up and doing now unlike before”.
According to him, most security outfits are now well-equipped, they have been given all the necessary tools required for them to fight security menace in the country, stressing that the issue of Boko Haram has by the grace of God become a thing of the past.
The Director added, “The militancy, the kidnappers and all other social vices that have been disturbing us in the country, the security operatives are equal to the task”.
Kobi explained that what the security outfits need now is real support from the general public in terms of volunteering information for them to carry out their day-today activities.
During the town hall meeting, Kobi stated that the agency will also talk on the fight against corruption being championed by the APC led Federal government because, as he puts it, corruption is an issue not only meant for those that are stealing government money alone.
Nuru Kobi said, “Civil servants who are being paid and have not been attending to their jobs are into corruption, ordinary market men and women who are being paid for services but not rendered is corruption.
He stressed the need for the agency’s collaboration with the NUJ towards the success of its enlightenment drive, especially with the counter accusations between political gladiators in the state culmination to the re-surface of the ugly sara-suka menace.
“The situation is fueling political tension in the state with sometimes the pelting of stones on some political leaders, and only God knows how the situation will degenerate. So NOA in collaboration with NBC and some key players will organize workshop in order to down tool the ugly trend”.
Malam Nuru Kobi therefore called on the general public to support the government and the security institutions by volunteering information that will help in curtailing the menace in the society.
The Bauchi State NUJ Council Chairman, Dahiru Garba Mohammed has in response said that the Union is appreciative of the enviable position Kobi attained, and assured of its readiness to continue offering prayers for God to give him the wisdom and technical knowhow for him to steer the ship of leadership of the agency in the state.
“We are not unaware of the herculean task before the agency as it is saddled with the responsibility of enlightening and educating members of the public on government policies and programmes, and there is no way you can achieve that without the corporate support of the NUJ”.
The NUJ Chairman who was represented by his vice, Musa Abdullahi Kobi assured the agency of the union’s total commitment towards ensuring that the aims and objectives of NOA is achieved, stressing that NUJ with its vast membership will be able to sail the agency to an enviable height.
