Varsity teachers task Federal Government on implementation of population control policies

Health and population experts have called on the Federal Government to implement policies that control population and promote reproductive health in the country.

Speaking during the first annual Professor Babatunde Osotimehin’s National Reproductive Health Legacy Forum in Ibadan, Oyo State, provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa, pointed out that “population explosion affects infrastructure.”

Also guest lecturer, Prof. Emmanuel Otolorin, stressed that, “If we don’t do something about contraceptives, we will continue to have rapid population growth. It is well known that poorly-managed rapid population growth has adverse consequences on socio-economic development of nations.”

The programme themed ‘Meeting Family Planning 2020 Goal: Wither Nigeria?’ was organised by Academy for Health Development (AHEAD), Ile-Ife, supported by the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health at Scale (PACFaH@Scale).

AHEAD is an indigenous non-governmental health research and development management organisation with core competencies in public health research, training, innovative programming, and evidence-informed policy development and advocacy, while PACFaH@Scale is a re-investment health/social accountability project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Wife of the late professor, Mrs. Funke Osotimehin, urged parents to embrace responsible parenting.

Otolorin pointed out that the recession the country experienced, the gaps between the demand and supply of critical social services, alarming unemployment rate, poor sanitary conditions and others were consequences of population growth.

To avert degeneration of quality of life in Nigeria, the don suggested: “Nigeria must implement policies that will slow down its rapid population growth if we expect improvement in life expectancy and in quality of lives of its citizens. Any delay will worsen the challenges the country faces today, and the future of its younger generations will not be assured.”

The guest lecturer said Prof. Osotimehin would forever be remembered for his legacies, especially gender equality, women liberation, youth and women empowerment, which must be upheld.

He pointed out that the late Osotimehin was an advocate of family planning, adding that what Osotimehin was preaching against then resulted in what the country’s situation.

“Today, we are facing series of insecurity challenges all over the country, and this is as a result of our daily increase in number without adequate provision for our teeming youths. For us to achieve Vision 20:2020 next year, all hands must be on deck,” he said.

However, the federal government has reiterated its commitment to family planning to achieve 27 per cent of Family Planning Vision 2020 Goal.

Permanent secretary, Ministry of Health, Alhaji Abdulahi Mazi, represented by the Director of Reproductive Health in the ministry, Dr. Kayode Afolabi, said the federal government was ready to partner with those championing family planning programmes and others to achieve the set goals.