Only 2.8 million under-five children out of a population of 32 million in Nigeria have birth certificates.

According to the law establishing the birth registration scheme in Nigeria, birth registration is free, and any child not registered legally does not exist. In the third part of the Birth Registration series, Jennifer UGWA reveals how officials of the Nigerian Population Commission (NPC) make birth registration difficult by extorting nursing mothers in Imo and Rivers States.

ON Thursday morning, at 8:00 am, March 14th, The ICIR reporter arrived at Isiala-Mbano Primary Health Care in Osu Isiala- Mbano Local Government of Imo State, the veranda of the health centre serves as the reception, with two long benches that had turned black with age. The centre was crowded with nursing mothers who came to immunise their babies.

The journalist struck up a conversation with one of the nursing mothers, Ngozika Wisdom, on how to get a birth certificate.

“Oh, that is easy, just meet Sister, she will give you, it does not take time,” she said, pointing at the entrance of the building.

Ten minutes later, the journalist was ushered in through a maternity hall leading towards the semi-detached office that served as the matron’s office. The cries of newly born babies filled the room, some barely a day old. They were held by their mothers who were surrounded by family or probably friends who cast questioning looks at the intruding journalist.

The matron, a soft-spoken lady, sat behind her desk in the small office stuffed with old files and medical equipment.

“The one I will give you does not have NPC logo, and it is N500, the NPC official that gives the official birth certificates is not here yet, but he will be here by 10 o’clock. That one will cost you the same amount or more, depending on the person,” she said.

But by 10 o’clock am, the NPC personnel was yet to arrive and the reporter was asked to visit the local government headquarters secretariat, a walking distance from the primary healthcare centre, to acquire the certificate.

Amongst the people waiting for the arrival of the registrar at the secretariat office was an elderly man who came to collect a birth certificate for his teenage daughter who just gained admission into the university. The father was surprised when he was told by others at the venue that he might have to pay to get the certificate.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY9Fi3yto1w

Read More: https://www.icirnigeria.org/extortion-lack-of-fund-manpower-and-ignorance-limit-birth-registration-in-imo-and-rivers/