From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has lamented the very low number of birth registration of under five children in Benue State.
UNICEF’s Chief of Enugu Filed Office, Dr. Ibrahim Conteh stated this during a one-day stakeholders’ engagement with religious, traditional and community leaders from Guma, Gwer West, Gwer East and Makurdi local government areas of the state held at the NKST Central, Wadata, Makurdi on Tuesday.
Represented by UNICEF’s Child Protection Specialist, Enugu Field Office, Mr. Victor Atuchukwu, Conteh stated that available data shows that only 17 percent out of the 39 percent registered birthd of under-5 children had their births registered with the National Population Commission (NPC) in Benue.
“According to the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey  (NDHS) 2018 data, out of the only 39 percent of our minority population children who got registered in Benue, only 17 percent got registered with NPC which is the legally recognized body to register births in the country.
While noting that the National average for birth registration with NPC is 22 percent, Conteh said the NDHS data further shows that of the number, 7.2 percent registered with local government authority, 63.4 percent registered with private hospitals and clinics while 7.6 percent registered with other authorities.
“While these are not bad, it is incumbent to ensure that it does not erode the benefits our children should have gotten through planning by government because government can only plan with available data.
The UNICEF’s Chief noted that it was for the reason that the organization was collaborating with NPC to ensure that every child in Benue State has an identity by duly being registered with NPC.
He stressed the need to continue to create awareness on the importance of registering the birth of children by the NPC, maintaining that any child birth registration that is done outside NPC is illegal and not recognised by government.
Conteh said it was for this reason that UNICEF is collaborating with NPC in Benue to create awareness with a view to ensuring that all births on under-5 children are duly registered by the Commission.
He urged the NPC to rise up to its responsibility to ensure that all children in Benue State are duly registered as according to him, birth registration is important for the survival, health, education, social service initiative of the Nigerian child.
On his part, state Director of NPC, Mr. Stephen Tsemende while commending all the participants for coming, explained that the Commission is not just about conducting census alone but also saddled with the responsibility to among other things, register the birth is under five children.
“Registering the birth of our children is just one out of many responsibilities of NPC. Thanked the stakeholders’ for heeding the call to attend the meeting. I assure you that at the end of the meeting, the perception of many would change about NPC. When you don’t have knowledge, you can even ignore things that are for your benefit.”
Also speaking, Commissioner of Health and Human Services in the state, Dr. Joseph Ngbea represented by Director of Public Health, Dr. Terna Kur while commending UNICEF and NPC for the collaboration said the Ministry has the mandate to collaborate with organizations to give healthcare service to the people of the state.
“We are here to identify with NPC on issues of birth registration. Birth registration is not new to many but we discovered that as time went on, birth registration dropped drastically. That’s why we are here to discuss this.
“We must register our births because it has a lot to do in improving the economy of the country. To us in the Ministry of Health, it is not new to work with traditional institution to deliver healthcare service in communities. We are going to be very supportive to this cause.
“We have also been collaborating with the church to ensure that we get all the health needs of children to them and to ensure they are registered. We are going to be working with every stakeholder.”
A stakeholder, Rev. Gusa who spoke during the meeting promised to create awareness in his church on the need for all parents to register their children with the NPC.
Another stakeholder, Chief Samuel Asema who is District Head of Ankpa /Wadata assured that he would mobilise all his subjects in his domain to ensure that all children’s birth are registered.
A youth, Nakpa Gabriel from NKST Aliade, promised to inform his pastor to fix a date and time for the youths to create awareness and tell the people about the importance of registering their children as well as the dangers of not registering them.
Another stakeholder, Elder John Ayu, NKST, Ama Makurdi who noted that the number of NPC staff in the local government is grossly inadequate urged the Commission to increase the number of staff so that more birth registration can be done.