9lu Samuel, Lokoja

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the National Population Census (NPC), have launched a digital registration initiative to register birth of children from age zero to five years across the country.

Speaking at a press conference and stakeholders sensitisation meeting on Thursday in Lokoja, the Director General of NOA. Mall. Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the birth registration remained the first legal acknowledgement of a child’s existence, essential for safeguarding their rights and privileges.

Issa-Onilu, who was represented by the Ag. Kogi State Director of NOA, Mr Patrick Edogbanya, said the e-birth registration exercise was in collaboration with NPC and sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

He restated the commitment of NOA as part of its mandate to ensure that everybody was sensitised on the significance and benefits of e-birth registration, adding that it had been on for over three years in the country.

He noted that 10 out of the 21 local government areas (LGAs) in Kogi had been sentised in the first phase, adding that the second phase which commenced on Thursday would cover the remaining 11 LGAs including Lokoja.

The NOA DG emphasised that the e-birth registration has numerous benefits to the individual, government as well as global impact by enhancing global cooperation and data sharing.

“By transitioning to e-birth registration, countries can improve the efficiency, accuracy, and security of vital event recording, ultimately benefiting individuals, governments, and society as a whole,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Ralie Omattah, Head of Vital Registration, NPC, said the e-birth registration had commenced in Kogi since August with the UNICEF target of 211,314 children in the state.

“Our collaboration with NOA is to enhance statewide e-birth registration coverage to meet and surpass the target of 211,314 children in Kogi given to us by UNICEF.

“As at yesterday, November 20, we have registered a total of 185, 307 children across the 21 local government areas of Kogi.

“By this collaboration with NOA, I am optimistic that we will surpass the UNICEF target by December 2024 deadline,” Omattah said.

While commending NOA and other stakeholders for the partnership, she stressed the need to address the challenges of National Identification Number (NIN) as well as refusal of some parents not to allow their children to be captured especially in the rural areas.

On his part, Mr Paul Popoola, the State Coordinator of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), expressed the commission’s readiness to collaborate with NOA, NPC and other relevant agencies.

Popoola, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Jeminiwa, Assist. Chief Identity Officers, said NIMC is a critical agency responsible for managing Nigeria’s identity ecosystem.

He disclosed that over 120 million Nigerians had been captured on NIMC data base out of the estimated over 300 million Nigerians’ population.

He, therefore urged the media and relevant stakeholders to help in sensitising the general public to come out and register, stressing that a day-old child could also register.

The stakeholders at the meeting include: Youth and Women group, Religious, Traditional and Community leaders, People with Disabilities (PWDs), NGOs, CSOs, Media, among others.