The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has reaffirmed its position as the Federal Government’s primary channel for communicating with citizens nationwide.
The Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, stated this during a session with officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps at the NOA’s headquarters in Abuja.
Mallam Issa-Onilu explained that beyond radio, television and social media, NOA officers regularly engage people physically at motor parks, markets, traditional institutions and town hall meetings.
He noted that such community outreach, often carried out in collaboration with FRSC at state level, forms part of routine nationwide sensitisation programmes even though they are not always widely publicised.
The Director-General said the agency was established by law as the communication bridge between government and citizens, stressing that when other government agencies work with NOA, the agency is simply performing its statutory duty.
According to him, NOA operates 818 communication-focused offices across the country, a structure most institutions do not possess.
On public complaints that feedback does not always produce immediate government action, he attributed the situation to limited national revenue, noting that Nigeria’s large population requires resources beyond current earnings. He added that government must balance obligations such as wage payments, debt servicing, infrastructure development and security within fiscal constraints.
He further stated that the agency has adopted a multi-platform strategy including social media, influencers and publications, and has also introduced an artificial intelligence platform to strengthen communication.
Mallam Issa-Onilu advised motorists to prioritise their own safety by obeying traffic regulations, saying safer roads would follow when individuals value their lives above all else.
Reporting by Abiola Peters