The House of Representatives has initiated steps to increase the funding of the National Orientation Agency to enhance its service delivery.
The House’s resolution followed the adoption of a motion on the “Need to Review the Budgetary Allocation of the National Orientation Agency of Nigeria for Improved Citizens’ Orientation,” moved by the member representing Agege Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Mr Adewale Hameed.
Speaking on the motion on Tuesday, Mr Hameed emphasised the important role the NOA plays in the re-orientation of citizens towards national values and in promoting unity and patriotism.
However, despite this role, the lawmaker expressed concern over the agency’s inadequate funding, stressing that more needs to be done to empower the NOA to effectively serve Nigerians.
He said, “The House is aware that the budgetary allocation for the agency in the Appropriation Act, 2024 is N8,819,470,967.
“The House is concerned that the existing funding provided for the agency is grossly inadequate to meet the extensive responsibilities of the agency and its offices across the nation.
“We are concerned that, given the prevailing trend of youth restiveness and social vices in the nation, there is an urgent need to implement measures for effective re-orientation of citizens to curb vices and encourage societal growth.”
According to him, the widespread restiveness and social vices across the country necessitate urgent measures for re-orientation to curb these issues and promote societal development.
Following the adoption of the motion, the plenary session, presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, urged the Federal Government “to review the budgetary allocation of the National Orientation Agency in line with current realities in subsequent budget estimates to enable the successful re-orientation of citizens.”
The lawmakers also urged the NOA to “increase visibility across all media platforms and produce more engaging content that will promote Federal Government policies and expose citizens to government initiatives that can benefit them.”
The House further encouraged the agency to partner with stakeholders, including Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as traditional institutions, religious bodies, community leaders, and the media.
The House Committees on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values were mandated to conduct thorough oversight and recommend appropriate measures to enhance the agency’s effectiveness and efficiency for improved service delivery.
The committees have four weeks to report back to the House for further legislative action.
