The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Thursday launched the National Values Charter (NVC) in Imo.
Briefing newsmen on the charter, the NOA Director-General, Dr Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the agency developed the NVC blueprint to guide Nigerians in their daily lives.
Issa-Onilu, represented by the Executive Director in charge of Public Enlightenment and Mass Mobilisation, Mrs Theresa Maduekwe, said that the NVC was designed to promote moral, ethical and cultural values among Nigerians.
He said that the main focus of the charter is to build the character of Nigerians by promoting a national value system that guides the behavior of leaders and citizens.
The NOA boss said that NVC was designed to ensure that the value orientation of Nigerians cuts across various age groups, starting from school-age children to graduates undergoing the national youth service.
He further said that the Federal Executive Council had approved the mandatory inclusion of the NVC in the pre-resumption retreat for FEC members, national assembly members, the judiciary, and other government appointees.
He said that the training, which would foster an understanding of roles and responsibilities, is critical for building a competent, ethical, practical public service.
He said that the agency had in the last one year pursued its mandate of promoting values that would ensure peace, orderliness, and moral conduct with vigor, coming up with new ways of meeting their targets.
He listed some of the methods to include social media engagement, community engagements, and distribution of social behavioral change communication materials, among others.
In an address, the Imo State Director of NOA, Mrs Stellamaris Demian-Igwe, said the sensitization was aimed at educating the public on the national anthem and the NVC.
She said the NVC covers the “seven-for-seven” reciprocal commitments between the country and the citizens to ensure accountability in governance.
She listed the commitments of the Nigerian state as equality, democracy,
entrepreneurship, peace, inclusivity, freedom, and meritocracy, while the citizen’s commitments are discipline, duty of care, tolerance, leadership, accountability, environmental awareness, and resilience.
The state director also said that the charter encourages citizens to demonstrate
patriotism and good character in their daily lives.
She however, said that the agency would embark on a vigorous sensitization campaign across the state as part of its duty to communicate government’s policies and programmes.
