Nebbi, (UG):- The National Identification Registration Authority (NIRA) has partnered with the Nebbi Catholic diocese to pilot a six-month project aimed at creating awareness of the significance of death registration to government and individuals who have lost loved ones.
The aforementioned project meticulously commenced with the training of Roman Catholic priests, catechists and lay leaders (parish pastoral Councilors) from the Catholic parishes on the ABC of birth registration/notification.
The training was held on September 6 2024 at Gaf apartments in Nebbi district with beneficiary Catholic parishes including; Kango, Warr, Zeu, Atyak, Zombo, Warr, Jangokoro, Nyapea, Abanga and Paidha.
The religious and lay leaders are brought on board to popularize death registration given their interactions with families of the deceased, which is in addition to their canonical obligation of performing burial rites in the same vein gives them authority with the consent of a family member where applicable to notify the government about the death of individuals who were under their ministry.
While training the Religious leaders on Friday, Ms Claire Ollama, NIRA Registrar echoed the importance of death registration to government and family members and asked the religious leaders to do their best.
“It helps in population estimates and projections and informs national planning impacting delivery of services and as well key in processing letters of administration of estates by family members in the cases of retirement benefits and inheritances,” said Ollama.
DailyExpress learnt that the NIRA office in Zombo where the project is being piloted, registered only 58 deaths since January 2024 despite the free issuance of death certificates within the prescribed period of 12 months after the event of death and payment of 20,000ugshs after the prescribed period.
Mungungeo Edmond, a Lay representative of the Youth pledged to create awareness and ensure death registration of the deceased from his Christian community.
“I will sensitize my family and small Christian community members about the significance of death registration to them and the government because many people are not aware of this service offered by NIRA for me, am now empowered,” Mungungeo remarked.
Mungungeo Edmond, a Lay representative of the Youth in Nebbi
Meanwhile, Fr Emmanuel Ocokuru, the pastoral coordinator of the Nebbi Catholic diocese commended NIRA for the partnership, implored the priests to deliver their best and prayed for the project to later be implemented in all the parishes of the diocese.
“As the church, we have been registering the death of Christians but in a different way, this knowledge gained in the training will empower us to do better even during our census,” Fr. Ocokuru iterated during a closing remark delivered on behalf of the leadership of Nebbi Catholic.
NIRA is a government agency established under the Registration of Persons Act and mandated to execute the primary role of maintaining the database of citizens and residents of Uganda and at most preventing identity fraud.
The government of Uganda is sensitizing citizens on birth and death registrations as it forecasts the adoption of technology in conducting national population estimates and projections.
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