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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has disbursed N100 billion to train 20 million artisans across the country.
Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, who disclosed this yesterday at a media parley, in Abuja, explained that part of the funds would be used to train them on work ethics.
“I know that 20 million artisans are being identified and trained in partnership with the Artisanal Association of Nigeria to identify all these artisans and create a curriculum for them to upskill them so that we can stop bringing people from other countries.
“I am sure it is N100 billion that has been provided to train these people. The role of NOA in all of these is to say, it is not just about skills, but their attitude to work and attitude to customers.”
In a bid to instil cultural values, Issa-Onilu disclosed government’s plans to indigenise 70 percent of cartoon contents.
He complained that through cartoons, Nigerians aged one to 16 have been nurtured on strange foreign values over the years.
He said the initiative was part of the seven institutionalisation policies of NOA namely nationalisation of cartoon animation, citizenship studies, citizens brigades, global reputation management campaign, and orientation programme for appointed and elected government officials.
Others are incorporation of value orientation as part of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and reintroduction and promotion of national symbols.
He regretted that neither the government nor parents pay attention to the contents of cartoons kids watch.
He also said the NOA would facilitate integration of citizenship studies into the educational curricula of children and youths between the ages of seven and 18 to develop informed, responsible and active citizens with genuine love for the country.
According to him, these studies would include understanding national values, civic rights and responsibilities, the country’s government structure and political system, active participation in civic life, and respect for constituted authorities.
In addition, he revealed that the agency will establish citizen brigades in primary and secondary schools this year, starting with 37,000 members, stating that there will be 1,000 per state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“The Citizen Brigades will be fashioned after the Boys Scouts and Girls Brigades where members learn leadership and moral values.
“They will be raised as model citizens who embody the national identity. Millions of Nigerian children will join the brigade in a few years, causing a deliberate movement of value ambassadors, model citizens, and a generation of new Nigerians.”
