Commission Seeks Traditional Rulers’ Support On Birth, Death Registration

Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Dr. Aminu Yusuf, has called on traditional rulers in Imo State to intensify mobilisation for birth and death registration and the forthcoming Population and Housing Census.

Dr. Yusuf made the appeal yesterday during a courtesy visit to the chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Eze Imo, Emmanuel Okeke, in Owerri, according to a statement from the commission.

He said traditional institutions remained critical partners in ensuring accurate demographic data for national planning, equitable resource allocation and sustainable development.

“Traditional rulers are indispensable partners in advancing these national objectives. When our royal fathers speak, communities listen,” he said.

The NPC chairman explained that while the commission awaits official proclamation for the conduct of the next census, it continued to manage the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system, with emphasis on birth and death registration.

He noted that birth registration guarantees legal identity and access to essential services such as education, healthcare and social protection, warning that without proper documentation, many children remain excluded from systems designed to protect them.

Responding, Eze Okeke assured the commission of the full support of traditional rulers in mobilising residents across the state to participate actively in census and civil registration activities.