The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Thursday advised students of National Television Authority (NTA ) TV College, Jos, to shun political thuggery and other social vices.
The Director-General of NOA, Dr Garba Abari, gave the advice at a one-day security sensitisation programme of the agency.
Represented by the Agency’s Director in Plateau, Mrs Kaneng Pam-Hworo, the DG said that the programme was aimed at attitudinal re-orientation of students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
He said it was to reawaken in the students the dangers of social vices such as political thuggery, drug abuse, cyber crimes, human trafficking, illegal migration and radicalism.
Abari said the exercise was to encourage the students to embrace national core values while curtailing the rising trend of social vices in tertiary institutions.
The NOA boss said it was also pertinent that students inculcated Nigeria core values of integrity, patriotism, discipline, self-reliance, dignity of labour, social justice and religious tolerance, necessary for sustainable transformation and national development.
He said the emphasis on tertiary students stemmed from the fact that youths contribute to over 60 per cent of the labour force, which drive the process of governance and social development.
Abari said youths are also the strength and backbone of any nation, hence the need to sensitise, mobilise and encourage them to shun all forms of social vices.
Mr Yakubu Gomos, Director, Centre for Advancement, University of Jos, while presenting a paper, entitled “The Overview of Social Vices on Campus” said keeping away from negative peer groups is the solution to drug and substance abuse.
He urged parents to ensure that they trained and guided their children and wards in the right way.
According to Gomos, children should be taught the ills and dangers associated with social vices early in life.
The Rector of the NTA TV College, Prof. Barnabas Gbam, thanked NOA for using the college for the exercise.
He enjoined the students to pay rapt attention to the sensitisation and reorientation programme as agents of change adding that “capacity without character is futile.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigeria Security and Defence Corps (NSCDC) among other stakeholders were in attendance at the event. (NAN)
