President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has called for full registration of all births, deaths, Internally Displaced Persons and prisoners in the country.
Saraki, represented by his wife, Toyin, stated this in his goodwill message at the launch of a book: “The Challenges of Criminal Justice Administration in Nigeria,” by the Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad – Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly – in Abuja.
He stated that it had become necessary for every Nigerian to be accounted for and to formally investigate every death that occurs during childbirth and appropriate sanctions meted where issues of negligence are established.
“Today, my call to action is that we must ensure every death and every birth is accounted for in Nigeria,” Saraki said.
“We must ensure that every child that is born in our country is registered and that every death is registered.
“We can and must as a matter of essential accountability investigate every death that occurs during childbirth formally and entrench a policy of culpability, and sanction, for every negligent preventable death.
“We must ensure that all displaced persons, whether adults or minors, in our country, and whether they reside in Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps or are incarcerated within our penal systems and penitentiaries at the behest of our justice systems are registered, and are accounted for in our country.
“This needs to be enforced and implemented rapidly. Without birth and death registration and investigation, we cannot protect or provide for progress in our country, let alone deliver a demographic democratic dividend.
“Once we account for every birth and death, we will become a fairer and equal society, that delivers for good, for every citizen,” he said.
The President of the Senate commended Ahmad on the launch while describing the book as a veritable resource for law students, lecturers, legislators and members of the bar and bench.
