Dr Tony Aiyejina, a commissioner, representing Edo State at the National Population Commission (NPC), has expressed concerns over the poor electronic registration of children aged 0 to 5 years in the South-South State.
Aiyejina said he was pained that Edo State had so far posted one of the lowest enrolment rates in the country, even as several states were already very close to their targets.
He said that Edo State had achieved less than 20 per cent enrolment rate since the initiative began on July 29, 2024.
Aiyejina attributed the low registration to lack of support by the immediate past administration of the state under Mr Godwin Obaseki.
According to him, “The focus on political campaigns in August and September hindered the progress of the programme. The state suffered a setback because of the off-season election. This exercise started on July 29 in Abuja.
“After it was launched, we were expected to move into our individual states and swing into action. As I said, in the case of Edo, the off-season election, the whole of August and September were devoted to electionnering and Mr Godwin Obaseki used that as an alibi not to listen to anybody on the issue or give any support as it had happened in ither places.
“We waited till the news governor was sworn in on the 12th of November. Even at that, the new governor has yet to settle down to give us attention and we are just getting close to 20 per cent registration, which is not a pass mark.”
Aiyejina adverted the attention of the government and people of Edo State to the implications that poor electronic birth registration of children would have for the state.
“Our people should know the implications of what we are doing. If there is no census, it is these surveys that we are doing now that government will use for planning purposes. Every child must have a legal identity. If you do not have that electronically generated certificate, you do not have a legal status.”
He urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to urgently address the NPC request and also interface with the commission to extend the registration deadline for Edo State to ensure that every child between ages o and five was not left out from the electronic register.
THE CONCLAVE reports that the NPC is still working with the December 31, 2024 deadline given to states to complete the exercise.
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