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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The ongoing nationwide electronic birth registration for children aged zero to five years has suffered a major setback in Edo State due to a low enrolment rate.
It was learnt that while other states in the country are close to reaching 100 per cent of their targets, Edo is yet to reach 20 per cent in the nationwide exercise that started on July 29.
Reacting to this development, Dr. Tony Ayejina, National Commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC) for Edo State, blamed the situation on the lack of buy-in from the immediate past government in the state.
“The case of Edo is obvious because of the election. The whole of August and September were used for that electioneering, and (Godwin) Obaseki used that as an excuse not to even listen to anybody or give any support expected of him, as had happened in other places.
“We waited until the new government was sworn in on November 12. Even at that, the man has not settled down to give us attention.”
“I was in Edo to set a template to rip off the process. We are getting close to 20 per cent, which is not a pass mark,” Ayejina said.
He explained that his efforts to enlist the support of the local government chairmen to drive the exercise also yielded no result, as the chairman of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has been evasive.
“The Commissioner for Local Government has not been appointed. They asked me to see the Permanent Secretary in the ministry. The Permanent Secretary did a letter to all the local government councils, but that has not yielded anything either.
“The 192 councillors we have in Edo ought to make it a responsibility and join, but that is not the case.
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“I presented all the necessary information and papers to the ALGON chairman in Edo, yet no desired results,” the NPC National Commissioner stated.
He explained the implications of the low enrolment in Edo, saying it meant Edo children would be left out of the planning by the Federal Government and UNICEF.
“Our people should know the implications of what we are doing. If there is no census, it is this survey and other things that we do that the government will use for planning purposes.
“Every child must have a legal identity. If they do not have an electronically generated birth certificate, they don’t have legal status.
“I did jingles. I went to the EBS (Edo Broadcasting Service). I used my personal money just for a few airings. No money to do additional ones.
“In other states, they do pro bono services for this kind of thing.
“UNICEF is paying N300 per registration for ad hoc staff, but unfortunately, this amount does not resonate with the Edo people.
“In the North, the government augmented and they paid double, and everybody does this thing with excitement. Some have attained 100 per cent completion.
“We have till December 31, but beyond that, Edo can ask for an extension so that children can be registered,” Ayejina further explained and urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to quickly look into the commission’s request before him, so that the state would not be left out of the scheme.
He said there was a request before the government, which, if Governor Okpebholo supported, would allow the state to request an extension to reach its target in the important children’s registration exercise.
