LIN: NOA instructs NANS on its mandate

MallLIN: NOA educates NANS on its mandate

From 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 statutory mandate of the Agency.

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

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

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

He said the NOA’s involvement is limited to its statutory responsibility to communicate government policies, programs and activities to citizens, as well as facilitate meaningful engagement between government and the people.

According to him, NOA’s communications mandate covers government policies and programs in general and is not limited to initiatives formulated or implemented by the Agency.

“As the primary government agency responsible for public guidance, NOA works with ministries, departments and agencies to ensure that citizens receive accurate, timely and understandable information about government policies, programs and activities,” he said.

Issa-Onilu highlighted the distinction between policy formulation, implementation and communication, stressing that the competent authorities leading the LIN initiative remain responsible for its formulation and implementation.

He explained that the role of the NOA is to educate Nigerians about the policy, explain its implications in clear and accessible terms and provide platforms through which citizens can express their opinions, 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’ views and reactions and communicate these to government.

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

He emphasized that communicating government policy is not the same as formulating, imposing or implementing such policy.

“The role of the NOA is to ensure that citizens understand what the government is doing, why it is doing it and how they can engage in it. This is fundamentally different from being the institution that formulates or implements policy,” he said.

The NOA chief therefore urged NANS and other stakeholders to distinguish between the responsibilities of the institution that guides a government policy and those of the Agency charged with communicating such policies to the public.

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

According to him, such commitment is an integral part of the NOA’s mandate as a bridge between government and citizens and should not be misinterpreted as exceeding 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.