SUNRISE NEWS, Niger, July 22, 2020 The National Populations Commission (NPC) has said the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting birth registration across several states in the country.
But the agency addressing journalists on the occasion of the World Population Day yesterday said its directorates in various states are prepared to capture any fallout of the lockdown that attended efforts to put the virus under check.
Niger State NPC State Director Mallam Uthman Baba said available data has showed that birth registration has dropped abysmally in the last four months.
Baba said the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting birth registration in the state.
According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic which came with lock-down and restriction of movement reduced the efforts the Commission had made in birth registration in the state.
But in Anambra State, NPC said it was prepared to capture the increasing number of births that may arise by the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
The NPC Federal Commissioner in the state, Mr. Chidi Ezeoke, gave the assurance during the 2020 World Population Day, with the theme, “Putting the Brakes on COVID-19: How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now.”
Ezeoke who was represented by the State Director, Mr. Ulasi Joachin, said the Commission, well aware of the upsurge in the number of births, directed its staff to report to work daily in order to meet up with the demands.