By Omolara Adasofunjo
A social mobilization campaign towards addressing the low level of birth registration in the country has been launched in Ogun State by the National Orientation Agency, NOA in collaboration with the National Population Commission, NPC and the UNICEF.
At a stakeholders forum in Abeokuta, the Director General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Isa -Onilu described the nationwide social mobilisation drive for digital birth registration as an avenue for parents and guardians to ensure that every child was duly registered for enhanced access to education, health and other essential services.
Mallam Isa -Onilu who was represented by his special adviser on partnership, Mr Tony Eromonsele emphasized that birth registration remained a fundamental right of every child and crucial to the child’s existence in the family, the community and the nation.
Similarly, a representative of the National Population Commission, Mrs Akinsibo Olayinka said the drive was focused on registering and issuing the National Identification Number, NIN to every child, between the ages of zero and five, free of charge.
She gave the assurance that NPC adhoc staff would adopt house – to – house visits to ensure a successful registration exercise across the 20 local government areas of the state, from now till November this year.
Also, Mr Peter Obam of the UNICEF reiterated the organization’s commitment to advocating the right and well-being of every child, pointing out that renewed efforts would be geared towards reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, especially those in the communities.
Earlier, the Ogun State Director of the NOA, Mrs Funke Salako had told journalists and participants in the stakeholders engagement session to regard birth registration as the essential key to unlocking the child’s access to basic services while also serving as tool for providing the government with the needed data for national planning and development.
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