NOA Denies Overreach in National Learner Identification Number Initiative

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has rejected claims by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that it is exceeding its statutory mandate by participating in the proposed National Learner Identification Number (LIN) initiative.

NANS had opposed the proposed identification system, describing it as unnecessary and potentially duplicative of the National Identification Number (NIN), while also questioning NOA’s role in the initiative.

But the NOA Director-General, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the agency was neither responsible for originating nor implementing the proposed LIN.

In a statement by the agency’s Deputy Director of Communication and Media, Paul Odenyi, Issa-Onilu explained that NOA’s involvement was limited to communicating government policies and programmes to citizens and creating platforms for public engagement.

“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.

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The NOA boss stressed that communicating a government policy was distinct from formulating or implementing it, adding that the institutions responsible for the LIN initiative remained in charge of those processes.

He said NOA’s responsibility was to explain the policy to Nigerians in accessible terms while providing opportunities for citizens to express their views and concerns.

“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 said.

He also pointed to the agency’s “Pulse of the Nation” reports as part of its approach to two-way communication, saying the platform captures citizens’ opinions and reactions and feeds them back into government.

Issa-Onilu acknowledged NANS as an important stakeholder in discussions on policies affecting students but urged the association to direct its concerns over the proposed LIN to the appropriate government institution.

He maintained that NOA’s involvement in explaining the initiative to Nigerians should not be interpreted as an attempt to assume responsibility for its formulation or implementation.

The Director-General said the agency remained open to engaging NANS, students and other stakeholders on the proposed LIN, including concerns over its relationship with the NIN.

According to him, such engagement is part of NOA’s mandate as a link between the government and citizens.

He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to transparent and inclusive communication, stressing that citizens’ concerns and perspectives were important to effective public policy communication and democratic governance.