Brave Dickson
The Rivers State National Orientation Agency has announced plans to eradicate destitute who are chronically sick from the streets of Port Harcourt through a strategic committee set up for the Eradication of Chronically ill Persons on the roads of Port Harcourt and its environs.
The Acting State Director of the Agency, Barr Young Ayotamuno who made this known in a statement called on the general public to attend and actively take part in its fundraising event aimed at evacuating chronically ill persons from the state capital.
According to the acting state NOA’s boss, the fundraising event will hold on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at the Rivers State Ecumenical Centre, Port Harcourt by 10am prompt.
The statement also enlisted, “the governor of the state, Barr. Nyesom Wike, the Catholic Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Camillus Etokudoh, and the Ambassador of Netherlands Embassy as part of those expected to attend.
In another development, the state NOA has identified the absence of sustainable training and retraining programme for political actors as factors largely responsible for the vices currently experienced in the nation’s political system.
Barr Ayotamuno noted that the lack of adequate training of politicians has resulted to impunity, disrespect against constituted authority, hate speeches, the flagrant violation of the rule of law,”do or die” attitude, as well as winner, takes it all syndrome among others.
The Acting State Director stated this at a one-day capacity building workshop organised for the staff of the agency in Port Harcourt to acquaint them with the changes in the electoral process including the corresponding changes in the political culture and behaviour of the people.
He said, “as an agency statutorily empowered to educate, enlighten and sensitize the people on government policies and programmes as well as building institutions to expose Nigerians to democratic norms and values for a peaceful, united, progressive and disciplined society, it is essential that NOA staff update and upgrade their knowledge on the rules of election as the 2019 general elections approach”.
Delivering the lecture, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers State, Barr. Obo Effanga represented by the Director, Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Civic Society Organisation said INEC would recruit only ad hoc staff from federal government establishments, tertiary institutions, and Youth Corp members to ensure integrity and accountability in the electoral process.
The state INEC boss exposed the participants to the functions of INEC, the processes of elections and the pre and post-electoral offences and their penalties.
