The National Orientation Agency has said the importance of birth registration in national planning and development cannot be overemphasized.

The NOA Director in Yobe State, Ali Audu, said this during a press conference on Electronic Civic Registration and Vital Statistics on Wednesday in Damaturu.

Mr Audu said that the agency, in partnership with the National Population Commission and UNICEF embarked on a nationwide e-birth registration social mobilisation drive.

According to him, the move is to ensure that every child has access to education, healthcare and other essential services.

“Birth registration is the first legal acknowledgment of a child’s existence, essential for safeguarding their rights and privileges,” the director said.

He explained that it was crucial for unlocking access to basic services such as education and healthcare, which are vital for a child’s development and future.

He urged parents and guardians to visit the nearest NPC registration centre to register their children, adding that the process is simple and free.

He noted that every child aged 0-5 years would receive a National Identification Number upon face capturing and birth registration.

Similarly, the NPC Director in Yobe State, Iyawa Damagwa, said an unregistered child would lack access to good health, education and be vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

Mr Damagwa, represented by the Public Relations Officer of the commission in Yobe State, Muhammad Isa, appealed to stakeholders to take the message to their communities to encourage parents to register their children.

In the same vein, Fatima Muhammad, representing UNICEF, described birth registration as a critical step in ensuring child rights and a tool to protect their future.

(NAN)