- Agency Report
A former Director-General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Alhaji Idi Farouk, has called for adequate funding and engagement of the agency to drive the processes for development and a better Nigeria.
Farouk, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, said that for government at any level to succeed, it must work with NOA, which had its presence in all the states and local governments in the country.
He described the agency as critical in the enlightenment of the people, especially on government policies and programmes, and as a feedback mechanism to the government.
Farouk described NOA as one of the best agencies of government with vast members of staff and largest number of graduates in the country.
He, however, identified inadequate funding and failure of other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to work with NOA as some of the major challenges confronting the agency.
Farouk, also a one-time Commissioner for Information in Kaduna State, expressed the regret that the constituency budget for some of the federal lawmakers performing oversight functions on the agency was more than NOA budget.
He said that for government to succeed in its policies and programmes, there was the need for people in the positions of leadership and MDAs to understand NOA’s mandate and work with the agency.
The former director-general also suggested that all the funds appropriated for orientation in the budgets of MDAs should be channeled to NOA.
“I watch a programme today (Wednesday) where, incidentally, they were talking about national orientation and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC has no business with orientation. So, the money for orientation should go to NOA.
“As a matter of fact, if you are running (a campaign) on polio or anything, if it has to do with public enlightenment, the resources for that in your budget should be for NOA, because you do not have the wherewithal like NOA which has its presence in all the 774 local governments in the country.
“I feel sorry, no doubt, for the leadership (of NOA) after me. I even feel sorry for myself because I didn’t get appropriate funds as I should get. And they are also not getting appropriate funds now.
“You hear INEC telling you that it mobilises voters. How are they telling them?
“NAO gives all the political parties the required orientation. They talk to people, even on how to vote. INEC cannot tell the people to vote like this, but orientation (NOA) can,’’ he said.
Farouk called on all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to discharge the responsibilities expected of them to actualise the Nigeria of their dream.
“Leadership and good citizens begin from the home. Parents must be up to their responsibilities. Teachers in school must be up to their responsibility.
“Teachers should not be defiling the children we put in their trust. Government should give to citizens what they deserve, which is good governance,’’ Farouk said.
Speaking on his experience during his tenure as director-general of NOA, Farouk said it was `very fruitful and educative’.
“I learned a lot in NOA. It was very enriching, and I think I am still benefiting from that outing,’’ he said.
He said that the present NOA leadership was ‘extremely lucky’ to have President Bola Tinubu who understood the importance of the agency, as the president of Nigeria.
He said that Tinubu once told him that while he was Lagos governor that he relied on the inputs from the agency before he took certain decisions. NAN