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  • Senate confirms Buhari’s nominees as Commissioners for NERC, NPC

    Senate confirms Buhari’s nominees as Commissioners for NERC, NPC

    Four nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari for National Commissioners of the Nigerian electricity regulatory commission (NERC) and the National Population Commission (NPC), has been confirmed by the Senate at plenary on Tuesday.

    This came following the consideration and adoption of a report on the screening of the nominees by the Senate Committee on Power.

    The report was presented by the Chairman, Sen. Gabriel Suswam (PDP-Benue).

    Nominees confirmed as National Commissioners of NERC include: Dr Yusuf O. Alli (North Central), Mr Chidi Ike (South-East), Mr Nathan Rogers Shatti (North -East) and Mr Dafe N Akpeneye (South-South).

    The Senate also at primary confirmed Buhari’s nomination of five persons for appointment as Commissioners for National Population Commission (NPC).

    Their confirmation followed consideration and adoption of the report of the Committee on National Identity and National Population on screening of the nominees.

    The report was presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Ya’u Sahabi (APC-Zamfara).

    Those confirmed as Commissioners for NPC are: Chief Benedict Ukpong Effiong (Akwa-Ibom), Mrs Gloria Fateya Izonfo (Bayelsa), Mr Kupuchi Patricia Ori Iyanya (Benue), Dr Haluru Bala (Kebbi) and Dr.Eyitayo Oyekunle Oyetunji (Oyo).

    Senate also at plenary passed for first reading, five bills which are: the National Centre for Cancer and Treatment Establishment Bill, 2022 sponsored by Sen. Yakubu Oseni (APC-Kogi).

    The Energy Commission Act Amendment Bill, 2022 by Sen. Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano), Federal Entrepreneur Centres Establishment Bill, 2022 by Sen. Oduah Stella PDP- (Anambra ).

    Others are the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration Suleja Establishment Bill, 2022 by Sen. Musa Sani (APC- Niger), and the Federal Medical Centre Gwadabawa Sokoto State Establishment Bill, 2022 by Sen. Gobir Abdullahi.

  • NPC decries low level of birth, death registration

    NPC decries low level of birth, death registration

    The Executive Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Alhaji
    Isa Kwarra, says only 43 per cent of under-five children and 10 per cent of deaths are registered in Nigeria.

    He made this known at a news conference to mark the celebration of the 2021 Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The theme of this year’s celebration is “Leadership for an essential service: building resilient Civil Registration and Vital Statistics systems in Africa that provide innovative, integrated and decentralised services for the post COVID-19 period.”

    He said many people in Nigeria lived and died without leaving any legal trace of their existence.

    He added that “currently, only 43 per cent of under-five children are registered at birth and not more than 10 per cent deaths are registered in Nigeria.

    “What this translates into is that many are born and die without leaving a trace of their existence in any legal record in the country.”

    Kwarra, who attributed the problem to geographic, cultural and traditional reasons, said that the commission was committed to digitisation and automation of CRVS for inclusive and accelerated development.

    He said that the commission was working in line with the vision of Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics.

    The chairman said that the broad objective of the plan was to enhance framework for actions and guidance for National, States, LGAs and community initiatives aimed at ensuring that all vital events were registered.

    Kwarra said: “currently, the commission has 4,011 registration centres spread across 774 LGAs of the country.

    “Outside these, the commission is also in serious collaboration with most health centres and local governments whose personnel assist our registrars in collecting information on deaths and births in their facilities.”

    Mr Ibrahim Sesay, the Chief Child Protection, UNICEF, described birth registration as the child’s right to a name and identity that must not be denied.

    Sesay said that birth registration was also the child’s right to development and protection.

    He added that CRVS was essential for modern administrative systems, creating an inclusive society, protecting human rights, ensuring proper delivery of public services and tackling inequalities among other related issues.

    He said that the UN was determined to collaborate with NPC in digitisation and automation of birth and death registration, adding that all Sustainable Development Goals were attainable using CRVS system.

    Dr Ismaila Sulaiman, NPC’s Federal Commissioner, Kano, and Chairman of CRVS Committee, said that the objective was to inspire member states to quicken the implementation of the CRVS system in line with global practices.

  • Lawmaker who sponsored media amendment bills backtracks, gives reasons

    Lawmaker who sponsored media amendment bills backtracks, gives reasons

    The lawmaker representing Ogo Oluwa/Surulere Federal Constituency in Oyo State, Olusegun Odebunmi, who sponsored the bills for amendments of laws establishing the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Nigeria Press Council (NPC), has stated the legislative process on the bills has been suspended for further consultations.

    He spoke following widespread protests by the print media against the media regulation bill being debated at the House of Representatives.

    The Nation reports all major newspapers on Monday published cover page public notice titled “Information blackout”.

    Widespread criticisms greeted the move by the House of Representatives to amend the laws establishing NPC and NBC.

    Odebunmi, who is also chairman of the Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, spoke on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Tuesday monitored by The Nation.

    He noted his intention was not to gag the press but make some amendments aimed at fixing lapses in the practice of journalism.

    “Personally, I’m suspending the process for more consultation,” he stated.

    Odebunmi explained he initiated suspension of the bills to allow for consultation with stakeholders in the industry.

    “What I’m saying is that the NUJ cannot gag the activities of the national assembly by saying ‘No you must drop it’, because obviously, that is not the way.

    “We have suspended the process for more consultation to happen on it. They demanded for a lot of time and I said ‘no problem, we have given you; even if you spend three, four to five weeks.

    “So far, more consultations from critical stakeholders, and many people have been submitting their memoranda to the national assembly even within the industry.

    “My intention is not to gag the press and unless all the practitioners can say all is well with the industry, to the best of my knowledge I know all is not well. And I know the National Assembly has the power to look into the existing act.

    “All is not well with the NPC agency. It is an agency of government and you’re expecting something to be given back to the society but until now nothing has been coming from the agency.”

  • Senate confirms Usman as NPC Commissioner

    Senate confirms Usman as NPC Commissioner

    The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Muhammad Usman as Commissioner for National Population Commission (NPC).

    Usman’s confirmation followed consideration and adoption of a report of the Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population.

    Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Saidu Alkali, while presenting the report, said that the nominee possessed the requisite qualifications, integrity, leadership qualities and comportment to discharge his responsibilities.

    According to him, Usman’s appointment satisfies the requirements of Section 154(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

    Usman was the Registrar of Federal University of Technology, Minna, between 2007 and 2012 and a member of African Council on Communication Education.

    He is also a member of Association of Nigeria University Professional Administrators (ANUPA) and Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).

    Usman is also Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

  • NPC announces Nigeria’s new population figures

    NPC announces Nigeria’s new population figures

    Chairman of National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Kwarra, has said the country’s population figure is officially 206 million.

    Kwarra revealed this on Tuesday while addressing reporters in Abuja on the commencement of the next Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD).

    The NPC boss noted that since Nigeria had not been able to hold a census in the last 14 years, it would be difficult to know the exact population of the country.

    He said: “In the absence of actual census, we formally do projections and we have all along been doing our projections and we estimate that as of 2020, the estimated population of Nigeria is 206 million.”

    Asked when the next population census will take place, Kwarra said President Muhammadu Buhari had the sole right to announce it.

    The NPC boss said he was certain that the President would do the needful soon, adding that the commission was working on getting him to make the proclamation.

    Two months ago, President Buhari had approved N10 billion for the NPC to continue its Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in 540 local government areas across the country.

    The President also approved additional N4.5 billion to be included in the 2021 budget for the completion of preparation for the next census.

    Announcing the commencement of the EAD, Kwarra said about 260 of the 774 local government areas in the country had been fully demarcated.

    The NPC boss stressed that the 11th phase of the exercise would begin on December 9, 2020 and end on January 20, 2011.

    He added: “Planning for census is anchored on the EAD for estimating human and material resources required for the census. In essence, the success of a credible and accurate census depends very much on the quality and reliability of the EAD.”

  • Birth certificates issued by LGs, hospitals not acceptable for official use – NPC

    Birth certificates issued by LGs, hospitals not acceptable for official use – NPC

    The National Population Commission (NPC) has said that all birth certificates issued by local governments and hospitals are not acceptable for official purposes in the country.

    According to the Commission, only birth certificates issued by NPC is acceptable as the commission is the only agency legally authorised to issue such documents in the country.

    The Ebonyi State Director of NPC, Edward Ogbu stated this during a review meeting and retraining of Ebonyi State health facility workers on birth registration service delivery.

    The meeting, which was held with support and collaboration of the United Nations Children Fund, (UNICEF) took place at Citi Hub Events Centre in Abakaliki, capital of the state with health workers from all the local governments and health facilities in the state in attendance.

    Mr. Ogbu solicited the help of government and health workers in the mobilisation of parents to register their children.

    In a keynote address, the UNICEF Chief of Field office Enugu, Ibrahim Conteh lamented that recent records show that child registration in the country is still very low.

    Quoting the National Demographic Health Survey 2018, Mr. Conteh said that 57 percent of children in Nigeria do not have their births registered.

    Represented by a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, Enugu, Mr. Victor Atuchukwu, the UNICEF Chief said that of the 43 percent registered births only 62 percent are registered with NPC.

    “26 percent are registered with private clinic/hospitals, nine percent are registered with Local Government Administration while three percent are registered with other authorities,” he said.

    Mr. Conteh noted that non-registration of new born child has a lot of disadvantages to the child, the community and the country in general.

    According to him non-registration of children’s births puts their access to basic service under threat.

    “Their official ‘invisibility’ increases their vulnerability to abuse and exploitation

    and violations of their rights go unnoticed. In legal terms they do not exist,” he added.

  • Kogi NPC Chairman resigns, withdraws from governorship race

    Kogi NPC Chairman resigns, withdraws from governorship race

    Alhaji Muhammed Aliyu, the Kogi Chairman of the Nigeria People’s Congress (NPC) has resigned from the party and withdraws from the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state.

    Aliyu announced this in a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, saying that his action was “with immediate effect”.

    Aliyu, who is also the governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, said that he had sent his letter of resignation to the National Chairman of the party.

    “Among several reasons for my decision, is my desire to continue to maintain the integrity with which I left the public service after 35 years of meritorious service as executive director.

    “I discovered that the political arena is not a place where I can continue to maintain that integrity with unblemished records of service.”

    He thanked NPC for affording him the opportunity to serve.

    (NAN)

  • We’ll need over N220bn to conduct next census – NPC DG

    The National Population Commission has said the next census will cost well over N220bn.

    The Director-General of the NPC, Dr. Ghaji Ismail, said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the commencement of fieldwork for the continuation of the Enumeration Area Demarcation.

    He said the 2015 budget for the proposed 2016 census which eventually did not take place was put at N220bn.

    Ismail said with currency devaluation and inflation rates, the commission would require much more than N220bn to conduct a census.

    The DG said, “How much will it cost? At this point in time it is going to be very difficult because there have been changes. It is not something you can say off hand but if we deduce from our previous submission in 2015 hoping that it would take place in 2016, a lot has changed in terms of currency devaluation but if we are to use the 2015 submission, we are looking at a submission of over N220bn.”

    Ismail said although the 2019 budget proposal had no provision for a census, a separate budget could be submitted for the exercise.

    The DG said it was time to begin to speak about it since elections were already coming to an end.

    He, therefore, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to take the matter into consideration.

    Ismail added, “Normally, it (census budget) is done within the wide service vote which is directly under the Presidency and therefore, when the proclamation is made by Mr. President. We are very hopeful because we have briefed him and we are very hopeful that this time around, having put the elections behind us, Mr. President would look at the commission favourably so that we can undertake the net census because, without the consensus, there will be no planning.

    “We are proud to say Mr President is doing very well in the area of infrastructure in the last three to four years and we are convinced that he will continue to do so but better still, from our perspective, the infrastructure should be provided based on the basis that we know where we are, who we are, where we are mostly located and our various population dynamics.”

    Ismail said the time had come for a law to be introduced which will give the NPoPC the mandate to hold census at regular intervals just as the Independent National Electoral Commission undertakes elections every four years.

    He said a bill had been submitted to the National Assembly to that effect which had passed the first reading but things slowed down because of the electioneering.

    The DG added, “We are conscious of the fact that the absence of a legislation has actually not done us any good because the absence of legislation leaves the decision to conduct census at the liberty or the vagaries of nature which means it is left to time and chance.

    “We are working hard. In fact, we have conducted two rounds of in-house review for a legal instrument to see that we push it forward. As we speak, we have proposed an amendment of the Act which is before the National Assembly. If I am not mistaken, it has gone through the first reading but elections came up.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the commission, Hassan Bashir, announced the commencement of the Enumeration Area Demarcation.

    Bashir explained that the EAD which holds from March 21 to April 13 across 23 states will constitute the architecture for the census exercise.

  • Nigeria to get database of deaths, births soon – NPC

    Nigeria to get database of deaths, births soon – NPC

    The National Population Commission says that a comprehensive database for births and deaths registration in the country from 2004-2019 will be ready by the end of the year.

    The Chairman of the commission’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), Dr Tayo Olatunji, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja.

    Olatunji, who spoke at the opening of a two-day workshop for 2014 and 2015 scanned vital registration forms, said that the registrations, which were done in analogue form, were being scanned and transferred electronically to a database.

    Olatunji, a former Director-General of the NPC, said that vital registrations for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 had already been scanned and transferred electronically into the database.

    He said that the scanning and transmission of vital statistics outstanding from 2009 to 2013 would commence as soon as money was released by the Federal Government.

    According to him, the exercise is streneous and challenging, but it has to be done for the country to be at par with other developed nations.

    The NPC boss said that the statistics being worked upon now were mainly birth and death registrations from the 774 local governments in the country.

    “Since we have been writing them in analogue forms, they are not useful until they are put together in electronics form,” he said.

    Olatunji said that the organisation had since stopped the collection of vital statistics in analogue form, adding that the decision to go fully digital would help to change the direction of civil registration in Nigeria.

    He charged participants, who were mostly ICT staff of the Commission, to take the workshop seriously by taking advantage of the training to improve their knowledge.

    The Commissioner, representing Kogi State on the board of the Commission, Prof. Jimoh Isah, said that researchers, planners and manufacturers were among those who would benefit from the database when finally released at the end of the year.

    Gov. Yahaya Bello, while declaring the workshop open, emphasised the importance of vital statistics to planning and policy formulations.

    Bello, represented by his Special Adviser on SDGs, Mr Abdulmumini Okara, said that vital statistics was very key to the realisation of meeting SDG targets by countries.

    According to him, the state has established befitting centres and create awareness across the state to ensure prompt and adequate registration of births and deaths.

  • Buhari appointment of Odibo as NPC commissioner excites Urhobo nation

    Buhari appointment of Odibo as NPC commissioner excites Urhobo nation

    Senator Ovie Omo-Agege representing Delta Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate has said the Urhobo nation is excited at the appointment of Sir Richard Odibo as an Honourable Commissioner of the National Population Commission (NPC).

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Sir Odibo and 22 other commissioners of the NPC were sworn into office on Wednesday by President Muhammadu Buhari following clearance by the Senate.

    Senator Omo-Agege in statement signed by his legislative aide, Nathaniel Dortie, said the Urhobo “people are very proud of Mr. President’s decision to appoint Sir Odibo who is undoubtedly one of Delta’s finest leaders and technocrats”.

    “We have full confidence that the highly respected Sir Odibo will add great value to the NPC with his huge wealth of leadership experience, deep wisdom and management skills”.

    The Delta Central Senator vowed to continue to pray and work with President Buhari and the Federal Executive under his leadership and all relevant stakeholders to promote his agenda for the greater good of the nation.

    “It is the earnest desire of the Most Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege that our very best leaders, technocrats and seasoned professionals should take their rightful place of true service in our national affairs.

    “Finally, it is our prayer that God Almighty grants Sir Richard Odibo good health and extraordinary strengths and wisdom to serve with patriotism, distinction and honour,” the statement read.