Tina Amanda
National Population Commission Rivers State says birth certificate registration in the state will be digitalize come March 2020.
The state Commissioner of the Commission, Dr Ipalibo Harry, who stated this to our reporter Tina Amanda, said the upgrade is necessary due to low birth registration recorded in the state.
He said the low birth registration record is as a result of few birth registrars.
According to him, birth certificate registration is very important, as it authenticates a person’s true origin, adding that it is the first right identity of an individual.
“Before March next year, birth registration will go to another level. It would no longer be the analogue way it has been done. People can now go online, key in their details and when it’s been approved, they can download and print it out.
“This will make the work a lot easier because now it is a bit clumsy and there are few registrar’s to go round everywhere in the state.
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He noted further that according to the Nigeria constitution, it is only a birth certificate issued by National Population Commission that is authentic, stressing that birth certificates issued by some hospitals in the state without NPC logo do not amount to much, as it only signifies the birth date of a child.
He said birth certificate registration of children between the age of zero to seventeen years is free.
He further stressed that the Commission is also coming up with an attestation certificate to be issued to persons from eighteen years and above without a birth certificate.
“In fact, we are coming up with what we call attestation certificate by next year. It will no more be the letter we issue, people from eighteen years and above will now be issued certificate of attestation to authenticate their birth and origin. So anyone without a birth certificate should visit the Commission to register and collect”
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