The House of Representatives at its plenary session on Tuesday April 12, 2002 seeks to increase the awareness for birth registration in Nigeria.
Hon. Bashiru Dawodu who moved the motion noted that the National Population Commission (NPC) has only managed to register the birth of 57 percent of children under the age of five, thus making it difficult for Government to plan adequately for their medical, nutritional and other needs.
He also noted that the Federal Government needs to know how many Health Centres are needed in the Country and the population growth across the Country to correctly estimate the medications to be imported and the tariffs.
Concerned about how a Country without credible statistics can progress as registration of birth is the most basic requirement in planning for children and when a Country fails to follow through with an established pattern, the young ones are exposed to dangers that the public health and economic planning teams cannot cope with.
The House therefore urged the Federal, State and Local Governments as well as traditional and religious leaders to join in the sensitization of the public on the importance of birth registration and urged the Federal Government to conduct a study on effective penalties for parents who fail to register the birth of their children.
Olalere Taiwo
For Head of Press; Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters
Wednesday April 13, 2022
