NOA To Help Propagate Social Safety Nets to the Grassroots.

By Yetunde Verissimo, The Nigerian voice, Abuja

The Federal Government will collaborate with the National Orientation Agency to propagate the social safety nets to the grassroots.

Mrs Maryam Uwais, The Special Adviser to the President on Social Safety Investments, said this on Friday at an interactive session with directors of the NOA, held in Abuja.

"We need the mobilization efforts and community from the NOA. They have structures on ground around the country, they speak the language and ours is essentially a community outreach"

" we are hoping to support the poor and the vulnerable, people who are in need of loans, jobs and the National Orientation Agency is there."

When asked about expectations from the collaboration, she said " for one there would be publicity, secondly we are hoping for an authentic feed back of what is happening on ground"

The Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Garba Abari, on his part said that the agency would mobilize support for the program and also sanitize the citizens to respond to the social safety investment program.

"NOA is one agency that by its structure is all Nigerian Languages. This would go down the nooks and crannies of the country."

Abari expressed his gratitude to the SA for recognizing the significance the NOA can add to the program. Stating that the agency's mandate to help orient the public on government policies, programs and activities would ensure a proper propagation of the social safety nets program.

"NOA has the reach in all Local and State Governments areas to ensure that we enter the community." Waheed Ishola, Director NOA for Lagos state