The Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission in Rivers State, IPALIBO HARRY who gave the advice in Port Harcourt said birth certificates which did not emanate from the commission cannot be said to be authentic.
HARRY in an interview with correspondent UCHENDU EJIOWHOR advised parents whose children are between the ages of one to seventeen to report to the Commission for authentic birth certificates free of charge and threatened to prosecute staff of the commission involved in any form of extortion.
The Commissioner further disclosed plans by the Federal Government to digitalize the issuance of birth certificate from next year.
