The Nigerian government
says it is set to launch the “Change Begins With Me’’ campaign, “to entrench
the values of accountability, integrity and positive attitudinal change” in
Nigerians.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report continues:
The
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and the Director-General,
National Orientation Agency (NOA), Garba Abari, made this known in separate
interviews in Abuja.
They
said the campaign was aimed at educating and enlightening Nigerians to
appreciate the key values needed for national development.
The
programme would be launched on Thursday in Abuja, they said.
“About
three to five years back now, the role models in the society were people of
doubtful character,” Mr. Mohammed. “Money was worshipped; nobody cared where
and how one got the money; these are the misplaced values that we are tackling
now.”
He
said the campaign would involve every Nigerian and address the shortcomings of
every profession and jobs.
Mr.
Mohammed said the campaign would also feature slogans that could be easily
assimilated by the people.
“We
believe that what is wrong with Nigeria is not limited to the elite, the
political class and the civil service; if we want that change, therefore, it
must address all the issues and target every strata of the society.’’
Mr.
Mohammed said the campaign was not a replication of the “War Against Indiscipline’’
which the Buhari-led military administration initiated in 1983, but said it
would achieve the same goal using a different means.
“In
1983, they used what they had to achieve what they wanted, which was to correct
the decadence in society, tackle corruption and impunity.
“However,
in the area of enforcement, people alleged infractions and intimidation.
“But
here, we are going to use the media to appeal to people. We are going to use
persuasion, instead of coercion and intimidation.
“Our
various platforms will be radio, television, print media, bill boards, social
media and the like.
“Part
of our campaign will also be concerts which will be sponsored by people in the
private sector.’’
The
minister, therefore, solicited the support of the private sector towards the
success of the campaign.
Mr.
Mohammed said the National Orientation Agency (NOA) would be the flagship body
driving the campaign, to ensure that it gets to the grassroots.
In
a separate interview, the NOA director-general said the programme was also
aimed at fighting corruption and encouraging peaceful co-existence in the
country.
He
said it was regrettable that corruption had done a lot of damage to every
sphere of the country.
“The
Fight against corruption must not begin with the government; people must be in
the vanguard of fighting corruption.
“Our
schools, roads, hospitals should have been better than what they are now, but
corruption has stalled their development.
“What
would you say about a woman who uses chemical to forcefully ripen banana and
sell it to the public; what about a woman who would use a padded `mudu’ to sell
rice.
“A
petrol attendant who would claim not to have change so that the buyer would
leave the change; all these are corruption,’’ Mr. Abari said.
He
noted that lecturers in tertiary institutions also engaged in corrupt practices
by selling handouts to students, while lazy students also cut corners by
selling their bodies and giving money to pass examinations.
According
to him, the change must start at the individual level and inevitably extend to
the society and country at large.
“Nobody
is happy with the way corruption has relegated the country to its present
situation.
“We,
the citizens, must take a second hard look at what we did wrong that we will
not do tomorrow.
“The change must start with the people in the little things they do in their families, place of work and responsibilities,’’ Mr. Abari said.
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