On Wednesday (4th October, 2023), the delegation of ASATTAHIR International Foundation (AIF) led by the Founder and Chairman Board of Trustees Aliyu Sidi Attahiru paid an advocacy visit to the Office of the Honourable Federal Commissioner National Population Commission, Sokoto Field Office. The Foundation was received by the Honourable Federal Commissioner of the commission Alh. Chiso Dattijo in his office alongside the State Director and all Heads of Department of the Commission.
In his remarks, the Founder and Chairman Board of Trustees of ASATTAHIR International Foundation, Aliyu Sidi Attahiru thanked the Commissioner and his team for honoring the Foundation’s request to pay the Commission an advocacy visit and appreciated the warm reception accorded to the delegation. He further briefed the Commissioner on the engagements of the Foundation in the state where he focused on areas such as child protection, nutrition, research etc. and target population which includes OVCs, IDPs, PLWDs and vulnerable groups among others as well as envisaged partnership with the Commission.
Similarly, the Founder affirmed that ASATTAHIR International Foundation understands the significance of birth registration to national planning and development and indicated the Foundation’s interest to support the Commission’s current efforts in the acceleration of birth registration especially to the vulnerable children and underserved population in the state. In the same vein, the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Professor Yahaya Tanko Baba highlighted the relevance of data in the development of the state. He nited that most communities affected by natural disasters and conflict are denied by their circumstances to register with the Commission which in turn affects the headcount in the state and the country at large.
In a related development, the Head of Programs and Research of the Foundation, Rufus Yagkong noted that Sokoto state and her counterparts in Northwest region of the country trailing behind in terms of vital registration which significantly affects national planning and implementation of some policies. He added that the Foundation has committed itself to supporting the Commission’s ongoing efforts to accelerate vital registration in the state which is also one of the key indicators in the United Nation’s Child Protection Information Management System through awareness raising campaigns, access creation and facilitation of birth registration in the state. Moreover, the Legal Adviser of the Foundation, Barrister Rashidat Mohammed commended the Commission for the good work they are doing and also stressed the need to ensure wider coverage of vital registration in the state.
In response to the Foundation’s purpose of visit, the Honourable Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission, Alh. Chiso Dattijo thanked the team for the visit and commended the Foundation for it’s foresight, impacts in the state and interest to accelerate vital registration in Sokoto state. He acknowledged the gaps in vital registration in Sokoto state and some states in the northwest region and how it affects policy and decision making which in turn impacts negatively on development. In furterance he reiterated the Commission’s commitment to providing timely, up-to-date and reliable data. Both parties deliberated intensively and came out with way forward that would improve the overall outcome of vital registration in the state.
Meanwhile, the state Director of the Commission, Mallam Marafa Gagi commended the Foundation for the Initiative and expressed optimism that the visit will contribute immensely in the registration of many underserved population.
In his vote of thanks, Dr. Garba Ibrahim thanked the Commissioner and his team for sacrificing their time and for granting the delegation of ASATTAHIR International Foundation to pay such a visit despite their tight schedules.He commended the tremendous efforts the Nigeria Population Commission is making to ensure wider coverage of vital registrations particularly in Sokoto state.
The meeting ended with group photograph and exchange of pleasantries.
