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, 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.
