National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC), on Monday, started community dialogue in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State on the importance of birth registration.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dialogue is supported by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Kaduna State Government.
Yusuf Muhammed-Balarabe, UNICEF Focal Person, NOA in Kaduna, said that the dialogue was aimed at reorienting communities on birth registration and urged the people to register children aged zero to five years.
He said that NOA would support NPA in ensuring that 18,000 children were registered in 30 local communities of Jema’a, Kaduna South and Zaria.
He urged participants to bring their children for registration and pass the information to their families and friends who were not able to make it for the community dialogue.
Nasir Muhammad-Shafi’i of the NPC in Zaria, said “we are here to sensitise people to register their children aged zero to five years and get birth certificate.”
According to him, the birth certificate issued by NPC is the only constitutionally recognised document that will help government to get accurate data on the number of births in the country.
He added that “Zaria has 10 wards where parents are being sensitised on the importance of acquiring a birth certificate from the NPC.”
Aminu Alhassan, the NOA Community Mobilisation Officer in Zaria, said that 10 communities would be reached in the local government and children who were not registered due to the COVID-19 lockdown would be registered.
He mentioned the communities as Kwarbai, Gyallesu, Dakace, Bizara Tudun wada, Unguwar Alkali, Kaura,Unguwan Juma, Tukur-Tukur A and Tukur- Tukur B, with 11 registration centres.
Umar Lawal, a community member, said many people were not aware of the birth registration done by NPC “but with the coming of NOA, people are now aware and will register their children.”
Another community member, Aisha Shitu, said she assumed that the birth certificate issued by hospitals after birth was sufficient, adding that she now realised the need to register her children with the NPC.
“By the grace of God, I will take my two children to the NPC office and get them registered’’, she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise will last for 10 days. (NAN)
