The National Population Commission (NPC) has intensified its nationwide digital birth and death registration campaign as national priority.
The Federal Commissioner representing Kwara State at the commission, Dr. Isiaka Yahaya Alada, said the exercise is aimed at ensuring every child has a legal identity from birth while providing families with official records required to access benefits and other entitlements relating to deceased relatives.
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Alada said this during a courtesy visit by the management of the Kwara State office of the commission to the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, at his palace in Ilorin, Kwara State Capital.
He said the visit was to brief the monarch on the commission’s activities and solicit the support of the traditional institution in deepening public awareness on the importance of civil registration.
According to him, the digital registration initiative is a critical component of Nigeria’s population data management system and complements preparations for the forthcoming national population and housing census.
“We have come to seek your royal support in sensitising our chiefs, Imams and community leaders on the importance of digital birth and death registration and the upcoming national population census,” Alada said.
He explained that comprehensive birth and death registration would strengthen national planning, improve the accuracy of demographic data and guarantee legal identity for every Nigerian from birth.
Responding, the Emir of Ilorin pledged the support of the Ilorin Emirate for the commission’s programmes, promising to mobilise traditional rulers, religious leaders and other critical stakeholders to ensure the success of the awareness campaign.
Sulu-Gambari described accurate population data as indispensable to effective governance and socio-economic planning, urging residents to cooperate with the commission whenever its officials visit their communities.
The monarch, however, advised the commission to always notify the palace before embarking on community sensitisation campaigns to enable traditional institutions to mobilise residents for maximum participation.
He also commended the commission for its efforts in maintaining credible demographic records and encouraged it not to relent in the discharge of its statutory mandate.
The Federal Commissioner was accompanied on the visit by the Kwara State Director of the NPC, Mrs. Hameed Salamat Titilayo, directors, heads of departments and members of the Alada family.
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