FG, UNICEF vow to establish birth registration in Zamfara

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

The efforts of the federal government to establish a comprehensive databank on life births, still births and deaths through the National Population Commission (NPC), has again received a boost from UNICEF, which organized a two-day stakeholders round table meeting in Zamfara state, aimed at expanding awareness in obtaining indices for economic purposes in the state and the nation in general.

The round table dialogue brought together stakeholders that included officials of the National Population Commission (NPC), health workers including doctors, journalists, traditional rulers, officials of the universal basic education board and local government officials through the ministry for local government and chieftaincy affairs, all of whom have divergent but direct linkages with communities at all levels making it easier to reach out and enlighten people on the importance of vital registration, whereby there will be records on anything concerning the populace.

The Field ‘B’ office of the UNICEF-based in Kaduna state had recently laid a burden of the absolute path-finding towards the success of the exercise on the shoulders of a Child Protection Specialist (CPS), Barrister Ladi Alabi who, organised the 3-day round table meeting in collaboration with the NPC.

Barrister Alabi, while disclosing the federal government plans pertaining utilisation of resources and allocations, has strongly warned that, “It is worthy to note that, birth registration of a child facilitates easy access to healthcare and sound education provided by the government. It also helps to secure job in the public sector as his or her birth is duly recorded, therefore, it could benefit all provisions made for the registered citizens.