From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In a move to boost birth registration in Nigeria, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, through her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), has partnered with the National Population Commission (NPC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to launch the UNICEF/RHI Commemorative Birth Certificate for the year 2024.
The official launch of the UNICEF/RHI Commemorative Birth Certificate to Birth Registration in Nigeria will take place on Thursday, August 29, 2024, in Abuja.
The partnership was announced by the NPC Chairman, Nasir Kwarra, after leading a delegation of development partners to the First Lady’s office in Abuja.
The commemorative event, scheduled for August 29, 2024, aims to mark a major milestone in the government’s efforts to provide Nigerian children with their first foundational identity.
In a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, the NPC chairman said the global took place in August 10, 2024, but the Thursday’s event is a special commemorative event with the First Lady championing the drive.
“We had a fruitful chat with her and I want to believe that we have a great event ahead of us that will mark the full force drive of birth registration to give Nigerian children their first foundational identity and recognition as our children that will grant access to government services, especially education and health,” Kwarra said.
The Chief Child Protection Officer at UNICEF, Ibrahim Sesay, emphasised the importance of the launch in closing the existing gaps in birth registration and promoting data-driven development plans for children in the country.
“What is critical is we have been falling short in terms of reaching that obligation. So, the Office of the First Lady through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is a platform that we are now using to make sure that every child’s birth in Nigeria starting on the 29th of August gets accelerated birth registration in all parts of the federation,” Sesay stated.