The National Orientation Agency (NOA), in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC), funded by UNICEF, is set to unveil birth registration in Niger State aimed at ensuring every child in the state is registered and have birth certificate.

Director General of the agency, Lanre Issa Onilu, who gave the hint at the social mobilisation press briefing in Minna, at the weekend, said birth registration is the first legal acknowledgement of a child existence, which is essential for safeguarding their rights and privileges now and in the future.

Issa-Onilu, represented by Ajia Suleiman, head of the special projects’ unit at the NOA headquarters, stressed that the 2024 birth registration drive was supported by UNICEF, soliciting for the support of traditional leaders for the hitch-free exercise.

Onilu noted that social mobilisation drive is focused on registering all children age 0-5 years and provide them with National Identification Number (NIN) free of charge, saying that it will also highlight the importance of birth registration as the fundamental right of a child, its importance to the child, family, the community as well as the nation at large.

The Director NOA, Niger State, Yahaya Gbongbo, urged parents and guardians to visit the nearest registration center of the NPC to register their children, adding that the process is simple and free.

Gbongbo explained that the birth registration is fixed for September to November 2024, calling on all community leaders, religious leaders to take part in the crucial Initiative.

In Gbongbo’s words, “Let us work together to give every child the best start in life, do not miss this opportunity to ensure that every child in your community, ward, local government and the entire state have access to vital services”.

The representative of NPC in Niger State, Simon Luka, disclosed that the registration would be conducted at the nearest primary healthcare centre across the 25 local councils of the state.

Luka noted that the ad-hoc staff for the exercise were currently undergoing training, after which they would be deployed to the field for the birth registration.

On her part, the UNICEF team lead in Niger State, Grace Odeyemi, stated that the initiative will ensure that every child was recorded, securing their rights to identity, protection, and essential services.

Odeyemi revealed that the exercise will be carried out using a digitalised application to pave the way for every child to be counted.

Representative of the Niger State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mamman Dauda, disclosed that the state birth registration indices are not impressive, urging parents to bring our their children en mass during the exercise.