The National Population Commission in collaboration with the UNICEF and European Union has commenced one-week massive birth registration exercise in Adamawa State.
Flagging-off the exercise on Monday in Yola, Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow, promised the state government’s commitment to the success of the exercise in the state.
Bindow, who was represented by the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Fatima Atiku, urged parents to come out en mass to register their children.
Atiku stated: “The daily registration of our children is indeed very essential as its provides data needed for population estimation, projection and other analytical studies useful for all demographic planning and research in the state and nation as a whole.
“Adamawa State, therefore, is committed to supporting such programmes aimed at improving the well being of children in the state.
“It will therefore not relent in providing the enabling environment for the smooth implementation of programmes in collaboration with NPC and the donor agencies like UNICEF in the state.”
The Federal Commissioner of NPC, David Garnvwa, said the National Demographic and Health Survey showed that Adamawa State had the lowest birth registration in the North East.
Garnvwa noted: “In 2015, only under 17 per cent of under one and four per cent of under five-year-old children were registered in Adamawa.
“This flag-off today marks the beginning of a seven-day massive birth registration in all the 226 wards of the 21 LGAs in the state to give our children their right to existence and identity.”
He urged the state governor to direct local governments to second to the commission at least one staff who would be trained to assist in birth registration.
Garnvwa said the commission had only 79 registrars in the state and had to engage 2,136 sub registrars for the one-week exercise.
The Chief of UNICEF in Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Abdulai Kaikai, lauded the programme and called for all stakeholders’ involvement for hitch-free registration campaign.
Kaikai said: “With support of all stakeholders, all unregistered children in Adamawa will be registered and obtain the birth registration certificate issued by NPC to ensure every child has an identity as a Nigerian.
“The birth registration certificate issued by NPC also provides legal, documentary evidence of the child’s existence, age, parentage, birth place and nationality.
“This will further enable the government plan for children and implement basic social services such as health, education, infrastructure, employment, etc. for the future well-being of these children.”