The Commissioner for Information Abia State, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, has assured that the state government will continue to work with federal agencies in the state to ensure her rapid development, peace and progress.
He gave this assurance when a delegation from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), led by the State Director, Lady Ngozi Okechukwu, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
The Information Boss who harped on the need for patriotism by citizens commended the Agency for its work in sensitizing and mobilizing the people to achieve national cohesion as well as promoting essential family practices through advocacy and engagement with Abia women, used the occasion to call for the release of Miss Leah Sharibu. He described her abduction and continuing incarceration as a collective blight on the nation’s conscience.
Chief Okiyi who congratulated former Minister of information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, on his reappointment and successful screening by the Senate, called for a more effective social mobilization effort to help citizens buy into government programs with confidence. He pointed out that efforts at social reorientation sound like Sunday choir songs when people have lost the sense of patriotism as a result of the failure of the government to effectively engage and mobilize the people to support her programs.
He further called on the Federal Government to deploy all available security resources to ensure the immediate release of Sharibu and other abducted citizens to give people more reasons to be patriotic, love their country and commit to national unity.
Earlier in her address, Lady Ngozi Okechukwu congratulated the Commissioner on his reappointment and applauded the existing synergy between her agency and the state ministry of Information. She assured that the agency is ready to continue to collaborate with the ministry and state Government to expand the sensitization of women on the 5 essential family practices that UNICEF is promoting, including exclusive breastfeeding, Immunization, the war against open defecation, proper childcare and antenatal care.
