The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC), has commenced e-birth registration for children between the ages of 0-5 years in Ebonyi State.
The exercise, which targets children from 0-5 years old, will incorporate the National Identification Number (NIN) of the parents into the country’s Digital Birth Registration System, in an initiative aimed at enhancing Child Identity Protection and Citizenship in Nigeria.
Jeremahia Nwankwegu, the Federal Commissioner, National Population Commissioner in Ebonyi told journalists on Thursday during a three day training of ad hoc volunteers, registrars and DCR E- CRVS birth registration for Abakaliki, Ebonyi, and Ikwo Local Government areas that the e-birth registration would last till December, 2024.
“We are migrating from analogue to full digitalisation. As you register, capture the child’s biometrics, the mother’s NIN, and every information about the mother and the father and the child will be captured.
“UNICEF is partnering with the National Population Commission, which is the program anchor, and you know, when you talk of birth or birth registration, it is the constitutional mandate of the National Population Commission.
“And the importance is that the identity, legality, and child rights are protected under the program. We can’t plan without knowing who is who and where there are.
The Federal Commissioner, Ebonyi State, noted that UNICEF has been of great help to the National Population Commission as they have helped in the printing of birth certificates between 0-17 years free of charge.
“This program is primarily for children 0- 5. Let us know how many births we have recorded within this range, and it is very, very important to us legally, educationally, economically, and so on. It is very important and key to national development.”
To the ad hoc staff, the commissioner urged them to put in their best and get the job done as UNICEF has invested heavily in the project.
“Each staff engaged in the job is targeted to record at least 1 to 25 births per day in the cluster he is covering, and we expect the best from them.”
The program covers 3 local governments per cluster, and in Ebonyi South, 4 local governments per cluster.
Ebere Nwogba, Chairman Abakaliki Local Government area, in his submission, said the e-registration was very important for an accurate database of childbirth in Ebonyi
“This e-birth registration will provide both the state and federal government with a credible database that will help in policymaking and the distribution of resources and facilities such as health centres and schools and other democracy dividends”.
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