The National Orientation Agency (NOA), has rejected the allegation by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that the Agency is exceeding its statutory mandate through its involvement in the proposed National Learner Identification Number (LIN) initiative.
NANS, in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, had rejected the proposed LIN, describing it as unnecessary and potentially duplicative of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The students’ body also questioned NOA’s involvement in the initiative and alleged that the Agency was championing an identification system outside its mandate.
Clarifying the Agency’s position, the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the Agency is neither the originator nor the implementing authority for the LIN initiative.
He explained that NOA’s involvement is strictly within its statutory responsibility of communicating government policies, programmes and activities to citizens, while facilitating meaningful engagement between government and the people.
According to him, NOA’s communication mandate covers policies and programmes across government and is not restricted to initiatives formulated or implemented by the Agency alone.
“As the primary government agency responsible for public orientation, NOA works across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that citizens receive accurate, timely and understandable information about government policies, programmes and activities,” he said.
Issa-Onilu stressed the distinction between policy formulation, implementation and communication, noting that the authorities responsible for the LIN initiative remain in charge of its formulation and implementation.
He said NOA’s responsibility is to explain the policy to Nigerians in clear and accessible terms and provide platforms through which citizens can express their views, concerns and reactions.
He noted that such two-way communication is central to the Agency’s renewed approach to public engagement, particularly through its “Pulse of the Nation” reports, which captures citizens’ opinions and reactions and feeds them back into government.
The Director-General acknowledged NANS as an important stakeholder that should have a voice on policies that affect them, however, urged the student body to channel their opinion to the appropriate government institution with regard to the LIN initiative.
He, however, emphasised that communicating a government policy does not amount to formulating, imposing or implementing the policy.
He said: “NOA’s role is to ensure that citizens understand what government is doing, why it is doing it and how they can engage with it. This is fundamentally different from being the institution that formulates or implements the policy.”
Issa-Onilu therefore urged NANS and other stakeholders to distinguish between the responsibilities of the institution driving a government policy and those of the Agency mandated to communicate such policies to the public.
He added that NOA remains open to constructive engagement with NANS, students and other stakeholders on the proposed LIN, including questions concerning its relationship with the NIN.
According to him, such engagement is a core part of NOA’s mandate as a bridge between government and citizens and should not be misconstrued as an overreach of the Agency’s statutory responsibilities.
In the statement issued by the Deputy Director, Communication and Media, Mr. Paul Odenyi, the Director-General reaffirmed NOA’s commitment to be transparent, inclusive and two-way with Nigerians.
He stressed that citizens’ concerns and perspectives remained essential to effective public policy communication and democratic governance.