NATIONAL ORIENTATION; THE CONCEPT AND PILLARS

This write up is a roadmap set out by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to attain the precepts set out in the National Orientation Pillars.

VISION

• The vision of National Orientation is to unite citizens around a common sense of purpose and oneness in nation-building, and to increase awareness of citizens’ civic responsibilities and rights.
• To invigorate a democratic society irrespective of ethnicity and socio-economic status, as well as build a strong sense of belonging.

MISSION

The task of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation (MINO) is to provide a focal point for bringing about attitudinal change in Ghanaians by inculcating in them a sense of nationalism, unity, increased productivity, and respect for national assets.

The Pillars of National Orientation are building blocks aimed at helping achieve a defined national mission with specific guidelines. They embody those defining principles that provide direction for Ghanaians in a bid to build a better Ghana. The Pillars will serve as a point of reference in charting a new path for development and are derived intrinsically from our cultural values and from earlier attempts at National Orientation.

There are five (5) Pillars of National Orientation that the rollout will focus on, to send the message out on a consistent basis. They are:

1. Proud to be Ghanaian
2. Patriotism and a Spirit of “Ghana First”
3. Positive and a “Can–Do- it” Attitude
4. Productivity and Accountability
5. Dedication and Discipline

1 PROUD TO BE GHANAIAN

In our efforts to re-orient the citizenry, we must continue the transition from a traditional society to a modern democratic society, where value is placed on information and knowledge of our rights and duties as a people and also to help us in our quest to change our attitudes towards our roles and responsibilities.

National Orientation demands that we know who we are as a people and be proud that we are Ghanaians. We must know our history, our geography, our language and each other as a people. We must take pride in our food, our festivals, our arts, artefacts, national dress and unique culture. A National Day of Celebration of our unique cultural displays shall be encouraged in all regions and districts countrywide.

The concept of National Orientation also seeks to encourage the youth to be able to walk with confidence, speak with boldness and depict or portray pride as Ghanaians.

Pride in our cultural heritage also means we must take pride in those things Ghanaian and patronize made-in-Ghana goods. As citizens we must place our culture above others. We need to reassert our cultural identity and refrain from imitating others to the detriment of our unique Ghanaian culture.

All Ghanaians should also strive to make it a long lasting phenomenon to hold on to our cultural revolution through the National Orientation rollout and beyond. We shall promote our culture wherever we go, and also sustain the unique traditions that symbolize our uniqueness as Ghanaians.

2 PATRIOTISM AND THE SPIRIT OF “GHANA FIRST”

This is a fundamental pillar to nation building and calls on all Ghanaians to put the country above all things and consider themselves as Ghanaians first and foremost.

This also calls for a change in which patriotism and nationalism are the driving forces. We must identify what makes us proud as Ghanaians and emphasize those things. At the same time we must identify those attributes and attitudes that denigrate our Ghanaianess and avoid them.

Patriotism and national pride means we must respect our national symbols - Our Flag, The Coat of Arms, National Anthem, The Pledge, amongst others, and take pride in National Activities that bind us together.

We shall encourage Ghanaians to display the flag at all times at their homes and corporate bodies will also be encouraged to fly the flag at their various office buildings to reinforce the sense of patriotism.

As citizenry, we should be our brothers’ keepers and support one another in our quest for nationalism and patriotism to foster unity.

Ghana is a rich tapestry of diverse people, ethnic groups, languages and religions, but unity is our strength. We must respect our differences and diversity but unite in the service and interest of the country to avoid tribalism, religious intolerance, nepotism and all other divisive tendencies that undermine our national unity.

3 POSITIVE AND “A CAN –DO IT ATTITUDE”

The National Constitution, our traditional values, and government’s socio-economic policies, all emphasize the right and importance of private property and private ownership as co-existing with public ownership. This underlying ethic calls for the encouragement of innovation, inventiveness, resourcefulness and entrepreneurship.

As a people, we want to take pride in ourselves, and develop a “can-do-it attitude”, our tradition has always encouraged self-help and reliance on one another. We must strive to solve our own problems and in finding solutions to our development, collectively work towards less dependence on external forces. The wealth of Ghana must be created by Ghanaians in the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, alongside the realities of globalization.

The National Orientation Campaign will encourage Ghanaians to move away from cynicism and negativity and to rather look onto the positive side of life. The campaign will also encourage a “count your blessings attitude”.

4 PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

A country’s human resource is its most important asset. All Ghanaians have a contribution to make in improving the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity of the country by being efficient, hardworking and punctual. We need to place the nation above our personal interests.

We must train and encourage people to serve the nation and infuse in them a spirit of leadership and volunteerism. Those who hold power must recognize also that they hold it in trust for the people and must seek their interest in exercising it through dialogue and participatory democracy. In our pursuit for a National Orientation, we must be self disciplined, honest and accountable in all our dealings.

The African moral system puts the ethic of collective responsibility above the ethic of individual rights, and emphasizes the character of a person as the engine which drives the moral life. Accountability calls for holding elected and appointed officials responsible for specific decisions to the public from which they derive their authority. It also calls for individuals, especially leaders, to conduct themselves in a manner that is honest and above reproach.

5 DEDICATION AND DISCIPLINE

This Pillar seeks to inculcate in our youth, who are the future leaders of tomorrow, a dedicated life. Dedication means the quality of being devoted or committed to an aim, cause or a job. This is the kind of spirit that this National Orientation Pillar seeks to encourage in our youth. The Rule of Law which is one of the main principles of democracy also demands a disciplined life.

As part of National Orientation, it is a must to inspire the youth not only to be dedicated but disciplined in all their endeavours. Commitment to work, to studies, to nation building and to good governance should be the guiding principles in a dedicated and disciplined life. All Ghanaians will be encouraged to strive to be committed to one aim, and that is, of making Ghana a better place to live and work.

The Ministry of Information and National Orientation sees the sustainability of the above Pillars as a shared responsibility of all Ghanaians. It will require active citizenship participation to ensure the success of the Pillars. We encourage each and every one of us to learn and own these tenets of National Orientation and build upon them to create a better Ghana for us and generations yet unborn.

 

Please click here to view photos on Orientation On Food And Drink At NAFAC