RAYMOND OZOJI reports
Value reorientation and war against moral decadence were the hallmarks of the messages passed on to primary and secondary school children at the Idemili-South council headquarters Ojoto by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) during a recent event in the area.
The NOA programme officer for Idemili-South Local Government Area Mrs. Isioma Odibendi, who anchored the message, acknowledged the efforts of the council chairman Hon. Dr. Mrs. Amaka Obi, especially her education support programmes and youth empowerment schemes, stressing that her youth development initiatives have helped tremendously to redirect youths towards self-reliance through legitimate innovations and creativity.
She said that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has taken public enlightenment campaigns to schools in Idemili-South Local Government Area where the agency harped on the dangers of bad companies, drug abuse and all manner of juvenile deliquescences detrimental as well as inimical to their dreams and aspirations.
She told the children who listened to her with avid attention that their parents should know whoever they called their friends. Another problematic issue she mentioned was graduation parties in schools.
The NOA officer observed that graduation parties have become avenues for destruction of school properties and that government is now against it as any child arrested in connection with such offense will go to jail.
The issue of examination malpractice was another food for thought as the NOA officer pointed out that some people obtained excellent results through impersonations and other forms of exam racketeering and thereafter would be unable to defend it even if such results were used to gain admission into institutions of higher learning with hope that he or she could manipulate his or her through in such places.
Dumping of wastes in the drainage systems was another focus as the NOA programme officer traced the root causes of flood and erosion to blockage of the waterways as well as erection of structures on waterways through obnoxious environmental practices.
She however stressed that they have organized stakeholders meetings; embarked on market campaigns which took them to Nnobi, Nnokwa, Alor, Afor-Oba and some other markets in Idemili-South Local Government Area, sensitizing the locals against poor environmental practices especially as it concerns indiscriminate dumping of wastes.
According to her, drug abuse is ravaging youths nowadays resulting to numerous cases of mental derangements in the society often caused by negative peer group influences. She therefore cautioned the children to always be vigilant and security conscious and also beware of bad friends who may lure them into vices that could ruin their lives forever.
Idemili-South Mayor Hon. Dr. Mrs. Amaka Obi in a few remarks lauded the National Orientation Agency for their enlightenment campaigns against all forms of unwholesome practices, adding that her administration is also doing a lot to catch them young because she believes very strongly that the government of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is child-friendly as evident in his one youth two skills empowerment programmes and other youth development initiatives.
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