NOA, UNICEF commit to new level of partnership

…as Mallam Issa-Onilu outlines reposition plan

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collobration with the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have committed themselves to a new level of partnership that will ensure that the strategic objective of health for all citizens becomes realistic in Nigeria.

This was the outcome of the first day of a strategic meeting between the management of the two bodies on pushing a collaboration centred on public enlightenment, education, community engagement and mobilisation.

The Director General of NOA Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu who is leading the Agency’s team at the meeting also used the opportunity to outline the reposition plan of the agency starting from the last four months. The plan is encapsulated in the agency’s CHLEEAN community project.

On the UNICEF partnership, the Director General said every organisation reserves the right to review its operation to meet with new realities especially in an environment of evolving technology. For him, the review of the collaboration with UNICEF is to achieve increased coordination, management and reporting.

The DG acknowledged the great work done by the two organisations in the previous phases of the relationship, saying review meetings are required from time to time to assess strategies and adopt new methods for implementing the projects.

Regarding the new method for implementing programmes, Mallam Issa Onilu said the overaching template is the CHLEEAN community Project under which capacities will be built to ensure efficient delivery of responsibilities.

The UNICEF Chief of Social Behavioural Change, Joshi Kshitij said there is a need to strengthen the collaboration as the world continued to face new challenges in the health and environment sphere. He appreciated the DG and his team for making their platforms available for the UN agency to leverage on.