From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ahead of the commencement of the digital birth registration otherwise referred to as e-registration, the National Population Commission (NPC) says no fewer than 1,500 and hoc staff will be trained by the Commission in Ogun State.
The NPC Federal Commissioner in the state, Mr. Fasuwa Johnson, who disclosed in an interview with our correspondent in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said that the Commission had last week trained personnel from 11 local government areas of the state.
He added that the NPC would continue the training in Sagamu, Ijebu Ode and Ijebu Imushin training centers.
The NPC boss explained that the training will equip the trainees to adequately capture registration of children between age 0 and 5 years.
Fasuwa lauded the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for championing the campaigns on e-birth registration, declaring that the initiative would aid in proper planning and policy formation by the government.
While lamenting that the country’s policies are based on outdated data, he stressed that having an accurate data would aid in effective planning and development.
“We need to make sure that the birth registration drive should be built on the e-registration; if we are able to get this right which UNICEF is trying to help with it will be a very good one.
“We have ad hoc participants who are close to 1,500 in Ogun state and they are across the 20 local government areas. Last week we trained for 11 local government areas scattered across three training centers. We just did a review meeting on it and it was perfect.
“The meeting was to review those three and plan for the next three centers. So, this week, we would be going to Sagamu, Ijebu Ode and Ijebu mushin training centers.
“And what they would be doing is to train them on how to capture registration of birth of kids between age 0 and 5 years. So that anybody below five years we would be sure that they have their digital birth certificate with them”, Fasuwa stated.
The NPC Federal Commissioner emphasized that the registration will be done from house to house in order to ensure that every child is captured.
He, however, urged parents and guardians to secure the future of their children by registering their birth through the e-registration platform.