As the forthcoming Local Government Elections in Lagos State draws near (July 22nd, 2017), the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in carrying out her statutory functions of sensitization and mobilization, held a one day Voters Education programme on continuous Voters Registration and collection of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) at the Council Secretariat of Mushin Local Government Area on Wednesday 24th May, 2017.
Addressing participants drawn from various strata of the society, the Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos State, Mr. Waheed Ishola went down memory lane to educate the people on why their full participation in electoral process of the country is important. He urged the people to see the Continuous Voters Registration exercise as an avenue to correct past mistakes in registration processes and collect their authentic Permanent Voters Card (PVC) with which they can vote for the candidate of their choice.
He further said that “on the ‘change begins with me campaign’ people should shun the bad habit of collecting money or gift from politicians to influence their vote, but to let their conscience be their watchword”. He charged Community leaders, Market men and women to mobilise their members to actively get themselves registered and collect their Permanent Voters cards even as he tasked Religious leaders to continuously preach to their congregations to take the registration exercise seriously because election is about one man one vote.
The Director used the occasion to equally educate the people on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) STOP campaign of unsolicited messages and calls from service providers. He observed that due to numerous report of unsolicited messages and calls from service providers, the Nigerian Communications Commission came up with the STOP campaign where citizens only need to text STOP to 2442 on their phone and all such unsolicited messages will stop. Copies of educative materials were distributed to participants and community leaders.
In his welcome speech, the Sole Administrator, Mushin Local Government, Hon. Yinka Kazeem noted that the programme was timely because it would help the people perform their civic responsibilities, participate in governance and conduct themselves properly. He therefore implored participants to listen attentively to the various presentations.
Other speakers at the event were Representatives of the Area ‘D’ Command, Nigerian Police, Mushin Local Government; Chairman, Community Development Council (CDC) Mushin Local Government, Alhaji Olatunde Okunwobi; Representative of Igbo Community, High Chief Alloyius Obiekwe and Market Coordinator for Mushin and Odi-olowo, Alhaja Titi Borokinni.
In attendance were the Iyaloja General of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area(LCDA), Alhaja Mufuliat Abimbola Adebunmi; CAN Coordinator, Mushin Local Government, Pastor Johnson Oladosu; Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS); Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); Council of Tradesman and Artisans, Mushin Local Government and a host of others.