LIN: NOA Educates NANS on Its Mandate

MallLIN: NOA Educates NANS on Its Mandate

By Our Correspondent

Abuja (Core Reporters) – The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has clarified its role in the proposed National Learner Identification Number (LIN) initiative, educating the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on the Agency’s statutory mandate.

The clarification followed a statement by NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, rejecting the proposed LIN and questioning NOA’s involvement in the initiative.

NANS had described LIN as unnecessary and potentially duplicative of the National Identification Number (NIN), while alleging that NOA was exceeding its statutory mandate by championing an identification system.

Responding to the concerns, the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, explained that the Agency is neither the originator nor the implementing authority of the LIN initiative.

He said NOA’s involvement is limited to its statutory responsibility of communicating government policies, programmes and activities to citizens, as well as facilitating meaningful engagement between government and the people.

According to him, NOA’s communication mandate covers government policies and programmes generally and is not restricted to initiatives formulated or implemented by the Agency.

“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 relevant authorities driving the LIN initiative remain responsible for its formulation and implementation.

He explained that NOA’s role is to educate Nigerians on the policy, explain its implications in clear and accessible terms, and provide platforms through which citizens can express their views, concerns and reactions.

The Director-General said such two-way communication is central to NOA’s renewed approach to public engagement, particularly through its “Pulse of the Nation” reports, which capture citizens’ opinions and reactions and communicate them back to government.

Issa-Onilu acknowledged NANS as an important stakeholder whose views should be considered on policies affecting students, but urged the association to direct its concerns about the LIN initiative to the appropriate government institution.

He emphasised that communicating a government policy does not amount to formulating, imposing or implementing such a policy.

“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,” he said.

The NOA boss 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 said NOA remains open to constructive engagement with NANS, students and other stakeholders on the proposed LIN, including concerns about its relationship with the NIN.

According to him, such engagement is an integral 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.

Issa-Onilu reaffirmed NOA’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and two-way communication with Nigerians, stressing that citizens’ concerns and perspectives remain essential to effective public policy communication and democratic governance.