In a bid to improve Gombe State’s civil registration system, the National Population Commission (NPC) has embarked on sensitisation tour of the 11 local government areas of the state, encouraging people to register new deaths and births.
Addressing journalists after the tour, the NPC federal commissioner in charge of Gombe State, Abubakar Muhammed Danburam, said people do not care to register deaths but stressed that death registration is crucial in helping the country understand the causes of mortality, which can inform government’s planning and disease prevention strategies.
He said by analysing death registration data, the government can identify patterns and trends in mortality rates, enabling targeted interventions to reduce preventable deaths.
In addition to death registration, Danburam also emphasised the significance of birth registration, particularly for children.
He noted that birth registration is essential for the government to accurately track the state’s growing population warning that children without birth certificates may be denied access to essential services like education and healthcare in the future.
“To facilitate the registration process, 93 centres have been designated across the state, including primary healthcare centres, Emirs’ palaces, and village and district heads’ palaces.
“Notably, birth certificates are free for individuals under 18, while those without birth certificates can obtain attestation certificates for N4,000.”, he stated.
Danburam appealed to local governments to support the NPC with personnel to aid in the registration exercise.
During the sensitisation tour, the commission have covered several local governments, including Yamaltu-Deba, Funakaye, Kwami, Balanga, Nafada, and Akko.
