Rivers State Deputy gov
ernor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo says accurate data is critical in proper planning and good governance.
Dr. Banigo stated this last Tuesday, when the Federal Commissioner, representing Rivers State in the National Population Commission (NPC) Rev. Donald Wokoma paid her a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
The deputy governor expressed concern over the issue of poor birth and death registrations in the state which has made it difficult for all tiers of government to ascertain correct census of the demographic status of the state.
She called on the National Population Commission (NPC) to dispatch registration officers to each of the wards in the state and sensitize the people especially in the rural areas on the need to register their birth or death cases with the commission.
Banigo urged the NPC to also liaise with the office of the Secretary to the State Government in carrying out their activities in the state as the state government is committed to providing necessary support at all times while appreciating the NPC for projecting Rivers interest at the Federal level.
Earlier, the Federal Commissioner Representing Rivers State in the National Population Commission, Rev. Donald Wokoma, said he was in Government House to felicitate with the new administration and to intimate the government on the commission’s mandate as well as its interest to work with the state government.
He noted with dismay the frightful low registration of births and deaths in Rivers State and the frustration of the commission to attract its national activities to the state.
Wokoma said the commission has the responsibility to collect, collate, analyse and disseminate demographic data in respect of all the human development indices (HDIS) of residents of the state.
The NPC Commissioner used the opportunity to appeal to the Rivers State government for assistance in the provision of local government offices and to defray some of their debts to enable the state benefit maximally from their services.