Birth registration: First Lady applauds Governors’ wives

The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Monday in Abuja, commended the wives of governors across the country for their contributions to the 14 million increase in birth registrations recorded by UNICEF.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the UNICEF team had on Friday visited Mrs. Tinubu at the State House and announced that in the past two years, birth registration in Nigeria had risen to 14 million.

Tinubu said the achievement reflected the collective commitment of the Renewed Hope Initiative coordinators across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory toward safeguarding the identity and rights of every Nigerian child.

”On Friday, I had the honour of receiving the Country Representative of UNICEF, Ms. Wafaa Elfadil Saeed Abdelatef, and her team.

“During our meeting, they shared encouraging news regarding progress made in birth registration across Nigeria.

‎”I extend my sincere appreciation to our valued partners and to all the 36 State First Ladies and RHI Cordinators, as well as the FCT Coordinator, for their dedication and hard work in advancing this cause,” she said.

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She also commended stakeholders for strides recorded in efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cervical cancer, syphilis, hepatitis B, female genital mutilation, neglected tropical diseases, and vaccine-preventable diseases.

According to her, the milestone demonstrates what can be achieved through collaboration, commitment, and sustained action.

She urged stakeholders not to relent in their efforts, noting that sustained determination could enable the country to eliminate many of the diseases before the 2030 global target.

Mrs. Tinubu emphasized the importance of continuous public awareness campaigns to ensure that every child, especially those in remote and underserved communities, is registered at birth. She noted that birth registration is not only a legal requirement but also a vital tool for planning, governance, and the protection of children’s rights.

The First Lady also highlighted the role of digital technology in accelerating birth registration, urging states to adopt modern record-keeping systems and mobile registration units to reach hard-to-access areas. She stressed that innovation, coupled with strong community engagement, would sustain the progress achieved so far.

In her closing remarks, Tinubu called on parents and guardians to take personal responsibility in registering their children and to support government and partner efforts. She expressed confidence that with continued collaboration between UNICEF, the Renewed Hope Initiative, and state governments, Nigeria would achieve universal birth registration in the coming years.

NAN