The National Population Commission (NPC) says 102,000 new live births have been registered in Nasarawa State since January.
Mr Patricia Kupchi, Federal Commissioner representing Benue and overseeing Nasarawa, stated this during a news conference on Thursday in Lafia.
According to him, the figure represented 54 per cent of the 189,000 live birth registration target for the state as recommended by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Kupchi who was represented by Mrs Priscilla Jaggu, NPC State Director in Nasarawa State noted that the birth registration had been low with fragment data system.
He said NPC in collaboration with UNICEF and other stakeholders are working assiduously to improve registration rate with the aim of meeting yearly targets.
The federal commissioner said that 533 ad hoc registrants have been recruited and trained on the use of electronic system and also deployed to Primary Healthcare Centres(PHCs) to mop up the backlog of under five unregistered children from January till date in the state.
He urged parents, especially mothers to avail their children under five for registration at the nearest PHC or registration centre near them.
“The involvement of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in this campaign will ensure that Nigeria’s Civil Registration Vital Statistics (CRVS) system become a model of efficiency, reliability and inclusivity,” he said.
In her remarks, Dr Priscilla Gondualor, Nasarawa State Director of NOA urged stakeholders to spread the message in order for parents to register their children.
She emphasised that birth registration help the government in planning and implementation of its policies and programmes for the benefit of citizens.
She, however, assured that the agency would intensify sensitisation across Nasarawa state.
