The National Orientation Agency (NOA), says it is working with UNICEF and the National Population Commission (NPC), to ensure effective birth registration in Osun.
Mrs Bola Morgan, the NOA Director in Osun, said at a news conference in Osogbo on Monday, that the organisations were mobilising parents to register children aged between zero and five years.
Morgan said that birth registration was critical to accurate data, access to education, healthcare and other essential services.
“The drive is to register all children of between age zero and five. It is also meant to issue them National Identification Numbers.
“Birth registration is a fundamental right of every child, this initiative seeks to highlight its importance to the child, the family, community and the nation at large,” she said.
The NOA director decried the unavailability of accurate birth registration data, especially for children born in rural communities.
“Some mothers give birth to their children at home and in places of worship. Some also give birth through traditional birth attendants.
“There is also this superstition and fear among people that registering the birth of a child might lead to an unfortunate outcome.
“These superstitions and wrong notions have discouraged people from embracing birth documentation, there is need for a change of orientation.
“We encourage parents and guardians to visit NPC centers close to them to register the birth of their children.
“We also urge the media to help in sensitising the public to the importance of birth registration. The ongoing drive which started in Aug. would run till Nov.,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Gbenga Osungbohun, the NPC Director in Osun, said that birth registration had no age limit, saying,” anyone who needs birth certificate can visit the commission or its centers to register.
Osungbohun said that the government was working assiduously to ensure adequate registration of births in order to generate accurate data.
He said that part of the challenges facing effective birth registration was parent’s failure to document their children’s birth with the commission.