The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has expressed willingness to partner with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in the implementation of its new sensitisation and awareness campaign strategy, in the fight against COVID-19.

Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, in a statement on Saturday, said the minister stated this during a meeting with the Director-General (D-G), of NOA, Dr. Garba Abari.

Ogunleye said the meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo.

The minister explained that the partnership was aimed at reinvigorating the FCTA’s community communication strategies in the bid to save lives and livelihoods, which were being destroyed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, regretted that many residents of FCT, were in denial of the virus and the dangers it posed, and therefore, not taking the necessary preventive measures against its spread.

“This, therefore, necessitated the employment of new communication strategies to spread the message,” Bello said.

He noted the FCTA’s partnership with the organised private sector, coordinated by the Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee, saw the FCT waging a largely successful campaign against COVID-19, with the provision and deployment of adequate bed spaces, palliatives, medical supplies, equipment, and personnel.

He said it was agreed at the meeting that an ad-hoc committee would be established to work out new communication strategies to be deployed in the next phase of the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Bello explained that the committee, which would be co-chaired by Abari and Modibbo, consisted of members drawn from the FCTA, NOA, and the Advisory Committee.

Responding, Abari said that the meeting further brought to the fore the robust partnership between the FCTA and the private sector, in the fight against the Coronavirus.

He said the new sensitisation strategy, to be tentatively known as the COVID-19 New Normal FCT Response, intended not to go beyond just creating awareness, but to begin the process of behaviour modification and change of the citizenry.

“This new strategy is intended to ensure that citizens take personal responsibility for their health.

“NOA, has the experience and expertise to take the new message to the streets, neighbourhood, places of worship and traditional institutions, and also create awareness on the nexus that exists between the containment of the disease and personal responsibility,” Abari said.

According to the D-G, the NOA possesses the necessary expertise and experience to spread the new message.

 

 

NAN