NOA partners NPC on census, kicks-off birth registration in Imo

An Agency under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation – National Orientation Agency (NOA) – in collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), has kicked off its nationwide birth registration campaign, aiming to secure early of the child’s birth future.

Stella Maris Damian-Igwe, the Imo State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), said that the focus of the exercise was on how to register all children from 0-5 years with relevant documents, immunization card or an existing birth certificate of a parent or guardian.

She made it clear that the birth registration exercise was free, and upon registration, the child would be provided with a valid National Identification Number (NIN) upon face capturing.

The Director further said that registering a child’s birth signified that the child had been fully recognised by that State, which she added, would form a step to protect the child from abuse and exploitation.

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To this, she said that she was encouraging parents, guardians and community leaders to take the all-inclusive drive to ensure that every child in their various communities, wards, and local government areas ( LGAs) was registered.

According to her, the birth registration exercise by the National Orientation Agency would last till November this year.

However, Ike Justice, the Director of the National Population Commission (NPC), noted that as the exercise would no longer be carried out manually, it would help to curb lots of abnormalities due to a proper data-based collation system.

This is as he said that he was happy to State that not less than 993 ad-hoc staff were trained to go around the 305 wards in Imo State to carry out this assignment.

Also, Rita Maduchi, Director of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), advised parents to take advantage of the ongoing digital birth registration exercise by the National Orientation Agency in collaboration with other organisations to register their children or wards so that they would be adequately identified and also to help to call up their details easily when needed.