The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF with the National Population Commission, NPC have enlisted the support of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC for the registration of 12.7million births in 2023, including the issuance of birth certificates that provides the names and nationality of every child in Nigeria that is under the age of 5, in 21 States, 456 LGAs and 4,978 wards across the country.
Eight hundred Corps Members would be enlisted for the exercise and would work alongside the National Population Commission officials.
The UNICEF Chief Child Protection, Ibrahim Sesay stated this when he led a team of officials of the agency and National Population Commission (NPC) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the NYSC at the National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.
He said that the registration of births and birth certificates are the legal identities of every Nigerian.
Sesay, who said the data of every child would be stored in the digital birth registration system in the custody of the National Population Commission, expressed optimism that the tripartite collaboration would be a success at the end of the day.
The Director, Corps Welfare and Health Services, Mr Omotade Ayodele disclosed that the MoU between the NYSC, UNICEF/NPC has UNICEF as the lead agency, adding that the Scheme is willing to partner with organisations that are prepared to contribute to national development.
The NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed commended the initiative.
The DG, appealed for adequate security and proper renumeration for the Corps Members that would be engaged in the exercise.
The DG, NPC, Tellson Osifo also expressed readiness of the commission for the collaboration.
