The federal government, through the National Population Commission (NPC), has appealed to Gombe parents to register the births of their children.

Adedeji Adeniyi, the head of the NPC’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Gombe, appealed to parents to register the birth of their students.

Mr Adeniyi explained that the call had become imperative given the large number of children whose births were not registered in the state and the advantages of birth registration for policy implementation.

He stated that it was wrong for parents not to register the birth, stressing that the child exists without proper documentation and record with the government.

Mr Adeniyi further stated that registering a child at birth was the first official document that any child should get. 

“It gives the child identity,” he pointed out. “We are telling the public that whenever you give birth to any child, take the next step after naming, go and obtain a birth certificate; it is free for all children below 18 years.”

Between January and November, the NPC recorded 126,674 births in the state.

These registrations were done in the 77 registration centres across the state. The record further showed that 37,650 under-one children had so far been registered within the period under review, comprising 20,033 girls and 17,617 boys.

Also, 68,396 under-five children were registered, comprising 34,394 girls and 34,002 boys, while 20,628 children above the age of five were registered, comprising 10,412 girls and 10,216 boys.

Mr Adeniyi also stated that the commission partnered different stakeholders in the state.

He stated that the partnership was “just to bring the birth certificate registration closer to the community.”

While appealing to parents in Gombe to register their children, the NPC official said the government and other local and international partners also used the records for programmes and policy implementation. 

(NAN)