The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has declared that communicating a government policy to the public does not amount to formulating, imposing or implementing the policy.
Director General of the NOA, Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu, who stated this while debunking claims by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) that the Agency was exceeding its statutory mandate through its involvement in the proposed National Learner Identification Number (LIN) initiative, pointedly stated that the NOA was neither the originator nor the implementing authority for the LIN initiative.
NANS had in a statement by its President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, rejected the proposed LIN, describing it as unnecessary and potentially duplicative of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The students’ body questioned NOA’s involvement in the initiative and alleged that the Agency was championing an identification system outside its mandate.
But, Issa-Onilu insisted that his Agency’s involvement was strictly within its statutory responsibility of communicating government policies, programmes and activities to citizens, while facilitating meaningful engagement between government and the people.
He further said; “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.
According to Issa-Onilu; “The 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.
The NOA DG 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.
Issa-Onilu while acknowledging 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 further 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,” he said.
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 further said that the NOA remains open to constructive engagement with NANS, students and other stakeholders on the proposed LIN, including questions concerning its relationship with the NIN.
He further said that such engagement is a core part of NOA’s mandate as a bridge between government and citizens, thus should not be misconstrued as an overreach of the Agency’s statutory responsibilities.
A statement by Paul Odenyi, Deputy Director, communication and Media of the NOA stated that Issa-Onilu reaffirmed the Agency’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.
