National Council of Women's Societies backs National Re-orientation Campaign

By CHRIS SULEIMAN, Abuja
The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) is to partner with the Federal Government to drive the national re-orientation campaign ‘Change Begins With Me’, according to NCWS National President Gloria
Laraba Shoda.
Mrs. Shoda announced the decision on Tuesday when he led a delegation of the organisation on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.
”We crave the indulgence of the Minister to direct the NOA (National Orientation Agency) at the federal and state levels to co-op members of the NCWS during the advocacy campaign, ‘Change Begins With Me’
”This is important to us because a lot of Nigerians tend to view the
campaign as having a political undertone,. whereas it is meant to
provoke Nigerians to change from negative behaviours and embrace
discipline and patriotism; it is meant to be a value added initiative
for a better Nigeria,” she said.
Mrs Shoda appealed to the government to set up a special task force to
curb the cases of rape and child molestation, which have become
rampant in the country.
Responding, the Minister welcomed the support offered by the NCWS and
explained that the “Change Begins With Me” Campaign is not meant to
put any burden on Nigerians, rather it’s a deliberate effort to change
their attitude for the good of the country.
“We are particularly pleased that you have stretched your hand of
fellowship to our new campaign ‘Change Begins With Me’. It’s laudable
that you want to join us because from the way you spoke, you
understand that this ‘Change Begins With Me’ Campaign is about
National Rebirth; it’s about going back to those values that made
women to be able to bring up their children in a godly manner,” he
said
Alhaji Mohammed said the criticism of the campaign from some quarters
stems from misconception, noting that the truth about the “Change
Begins With Me” Campaign is that it started from the top to the
bottom.
“People have criticized the campaign; some have said the campaign
ought to start from the top and we agreed simply because they have not
even followed the campaign. The campaign actually started from the top
because the best campaign is that campaign that you do what you are
preaching.
”This government is leading by example, especially Mr. President the
Mr. Vice-President and Ministers.This is the least ostentatious
cabinet you can ever have. We are all living and showing good
examples. We obey traffic rules, queue up at airports and public
places; we get to work early and close late,” he said.
The Minister is optimistic that despite the criticism, Nigerians will
soon imbibe the tenets of ”Change Begins With Me” Campaign and make
it a huge success.
“This campaign is going to succeed. The campaign is not asking
Nigerians to do anything extra, we are not putting any burden on any
person. What is our campaign? We are saying Nigerians must first of
all resolve that the change we are looking for is in each and everyone
of us; that all of us must change what we are doing from the negative
to the positive,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed also assured the delegation that in spite of the
economic challenges, the present administration is committed to its
Social Intervention Programmes and that the payment of the N5,000
Conditional Cash Transfer to the most vulnerable people in the society
will kick off this month, while the process for the recruitment of
500,000 people has also commenced.
The NCWS, an umbrella body of women’s societies in Nigeria, was formed
in 1958 to promote gender-related issues.