The National Population Commission (NPC) has registered 13,023 babies in 60 local communities in six Local Government Areas of Kaduna state.
Hajiya Adams Uthman, the state Director of NPC, made this known while briefing newsmen on the conduct of community reorientation and grassroots dialogue on improved birth registration in the six local government areas of the state.
She said that the exercise was carried out in Jema’a, Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Chikun,Igabi and Sabin Gari.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the NPC with support from the United Nations Children Fund(UNICEF)
“We were at the grassroots with the NOA. We get information on the child from the parent while filling the B1 form. Birth certificates are then iussed to them.
“We registered 2,902 babies in Sabon Gari, 849 in Jema’a; 2,000 in Chikun, 2,239 in Igabi.
”We also registered 1,879 babies in Kaduna south and 3,154 in in Kaduna North,“she said.
Earlier, Zubair Galadima-Soba, NOA state director, said the outcome of the community dialogue on the importance of birth registration which started on Feb. 18 and ended on Feb. 22, was successful.
He said that 10 communities were reached in each selected local government areas which include; semi urban and rural communities, adding that 2,400 community member benefited from the campaign.
Galadima-Soba explained that community members were enlightened on the benefits of birth registration, locations of NPC registration points and were encouraged to become birth registration champions in their communities.
In his remarks, Dr Abdulmalik Muhammed-Durunguwa, Federal Commissioner of NPC, said the only organ constitutionally recognised to take a child’s detail and issue a birth certificate, was the NPC.
He said the registration was free.
Muhammed-Durunguwa said that the commission would soon launch a nationwide e-registration of birth which makes birth registration easier.
Also speaking, Dr William Mamah, a child protection specialist with UNICEF, said birth registration was the foundation of right without which a child would not be accounted for as it was linked to legal identification.
He added that there was development implication of not registering a child as a child might not enjoy the rights and dignity he or she deserves as human. (NAN)
