NpopC decries low coverage of birth registration in Nigeria

THE National Population Commission (NpopC) on Tuesday, decried the low coverage of birth registration in the country despite the sponsored The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) media campaigns launched for the course.

In 2018, UNICEF had launched a media Campaign on Child Registration to increase awareness on the importance of registration of birth.

The commission had also stated that registration of birth and deaths across the country can substitute for census with the construction of more registration centres.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed acting NpopC Chairman, Alhaji Hassan Bashir, stated this in his maiden address, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to him, this has continued to be a major challenge to the commission as the total percentage covered was a little over 60 per cent.

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“Despite the sponsored UNICEF Media Campaign, as of today the total percentage coverage of Birth Registration Nationally is a little over 60 per cent. That is another area of challenge to the commission. We need to put in motion machinery for improvement on Birth registration coverage nationwide so that by the 10th of August of the year, we will have more to celebrate on CRVS day,” he said.

He further stressed the need for fundings so as to achieve its target saying; “ How to go about achieving the above mentioned itemized goals squarely resides with us. I am positive, the discussions that will follow today and subsequent days will give us a headway.

“What I know for sure is we need funds, lots of fund for the challenges ahead…we have all it takes to get the job done towards lobbying and solicitation for funds.”