Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has commended the National Orientation Agency, NOA in Abia State for putting together the security campaign sensitization and called stakeholders to do their part in giving everyone needed security.
Governor Ikpeazu who spoke through the Secretary to Abia State Government, Barrister Chris Ezem stated this during security campaign with critical stakeholders and the investiture of Wai Brigade Patrons and Grand Patron organised by National Orientation, Agency NOA in collaboration with Abia State ministry of information and strategy on the theme, “Building a People of Peace: Towards Enhancing National Security” held at Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia.
He maintained that the event put together by NOA is in tandem with what Abia state government is doing to provide security for all and noted that the highways including the railways have become a death trap, including workshop centres.
Ikpeazu therefore, called on all hands to be on deck because security should not be left for the uniform men alone.
In her welcome speech, the state Director, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Dr Ngozi Okechukwu called on stakeholders to support the agency in restructuring the Wai Brigade to effectively fight social, political and economic decadence in Nigeria.
Dr Ngozi Okechukwu said the topic, building people of Peace could not have come at a better time when the country is currently grappling with many challenges rapidly stagnating it’s natural development and people are living in fear, anxiety and stress.
“From the north to the south, east to the west, were faced with varying shades of endemic insecurity and economic hardship rooted in pervasive erosion of moral values to the extent that the people of this nation are living in fear, anxiety and stress”.
She continued “it is against this mandate of NOA as a social engineering organisation that we are saddled with the responsibility of supporting the Nigerian government to fulfill the enormous constitutional mandate of providing security for it’s citizens to sustain leadership legitimacy”.
She noted that the mobilizer magazine published by NOA in Abia is a holistic, coordinated and comprehensive composition of wide ranging strategies on peace building through the contributions of critical stakeholders.
Contributing, Abia state commissioner for information and strategy, Dr Eze Chikamnayo opined that Abia collaborated with NOA to ensure that people live in peace and the mind set of people need to be directed towards peace.
Dr Chikamnayo disclosed that Abia State government does not toy with security and has not relent to support the security outfit known as Ebube Agu to assist the police including other security agents to perform their job.
Chairman of the occasion, from Abia state law reform and review commission, justice K O Nwosu said the reason for the gathering was the core mandate of NOA charged with the responsibility of mobilizing the public for sensitization of government policies and programs.
Meanwhile, in a paper titled “Building a People of Peace: Towards Enhancing National Security” the President of Vision Africa International, Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha called on President Buhari to sign the reworked bill into law.
Bishop Onuoha pointed out Government investment in youth education and empowerment programs is a panacea for combating violent acts in Nigeria.
Bishop Onuoha described Peace as a state of harmony or absence of hostility.
The Methodist Cleric stated that Peace education and socialization as a means of entrenching culture of peace in the minds of Nigerians, especially children, youths and women should be taken to the grassroots,
to the indigent and should be communicated in the language of those without formal education.
The Global Peace Award winner 2013 noted that the prevalence of conflicts, manifested in religious intolerance, Political Thuggery, Kidnapping, Drug Addiction, Radicalization and Violent Extremism are the greatest threats to peace, unity, security and development of Nigeria.
Bishop Onuoha recommended that jobs should be provided for the youths, adding that a supportive environment for Micro, Small and medium enterprises (SME’s); will reduce insecurities drastically.
He added that an effective/efficient security management system, that can take precautionary measures
against spontaneous attacks of terrorists and take immediate actions to quench conflicts
and riots before they escalate to violence is needed urgently.
Therefore, to fight insecurity and engender peace, Bishop Onuoha suggested that sensitization campaigns like these by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Ministry of Information, is commendable; as is building synergy among relevant stakeholders and actors in the heated polity.
Highpoints of the event were goodwill messages from the security agencies present at the event, the unveiling of NOA magazine, the mobilizer, investiture of Abia state speaker, Chinedum Orji representing by Hon Stanley Nwabuisi as Wai Brigade Grand Patron and investiture of others including (Ide) Sir Ifeanyi Okechukwu, as well as presentation from Holy Rosary Girls Secondary school Umuahia.
