‘No child certificate, no govt benefit’
By Chris Chimezie & Maria Famakinwa
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Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has directed that henceforth, any child without birth certificate in the state will not be admitted into public primary schools.
Akeredolu disclosed this during the stakeholders’ meeting on birth registration titled “For the visibility of every child,” held at the International Event Centre, The Dome, with the collaboration of Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu Foundation (BAFF), Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Board and National Population Commission.
Akeredolu further hinted that the move is to reduce wholeheartedly, the high rate of unregistered children in the state.
He equally stressed that health care delivery will also be made accessible to children with birth certificates in the state.
Akeredolu who reiterated the importance of registration at birth and death, described them as a veritable instrument to have a validly and reliable National Population that can engender effective planning and equitable distribution of national resources.
In her address, wife of the Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Aderedolu said birth registration is helping the government to provide good health care for children in the state.
Mrs Akeredolu, who revealed that little attention is placed on birth registration especially in Nigeria because many do not realise the consequences urged parents to henceforth ensure that their children are registered.
Arabinrin Akeredolu added that to improve birth registration, the participation of women in the birth registration framework is quintessential because women are the first-race givers and they determine to a large extent what their children get.
The State Commissioner of Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro while commending the idea of Arabinrin Akeredolu at educating people on the importance of registering their children explained that it will go a long way to help government in planning and accurate records.
In his goodwill message, UNICEF Chief, Akure Field Office, Mr Tejinde Sadhu commended Mrs Akeredolu for organising the stakeholders’ meeting to educate parents on why they should register their children. He said that birth registration will help the child, parents and government.
Director, National Population Commission (NPC), Ondo State, Mr Falusi Oluyemi described the idea of birth registration as very important to NPC for proper planning and documentation.
