By Joy Odor
The Chairman of the Nigerian Population Commission (NPC), Alhaji Nasir Isa Kwarra has disclosed that the Revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development (RNPPSD) will address the country’s population growth challenges and reduced some negative practices against women and girls by the end of 2030.
The Alhaji Kwarra made the disclosure to journalists at the Workshop of Revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development in collaboration with Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) in Abuja.
He said family planning is one of the most effective methods of controlling Nigeria’s population growth, saying plans are underway at the top level to make sure the implementation is very robust and reaches every part of the country.
According to him, the Revised National Population Policy is geared towards ensuring that Nigeria records zero maternal deaths by 2030.
NPC Chairman noted that the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS), Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, which is one of the worst maternal health indices in the world.
Alhaji Kwarra informed that the bulk of Nigeria’s population was within the ages of 0-15, adding that the policy was to shift the demography to a productive age that would increase manpower to spur economic activities in the country.
He stated that the policy, when implemented, would lead to a decline in rural to urban migration by 5 per cent annually while achieving a reduction of the national annual population growth rate to 2 per cent by year 2030.
In his speech, the Coordinator, African Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr Aminu Magashi Garba opined that the Revised National Population Policy is the only policy that has been signed by President Muhammadu Buhari signed in February this year.
He mentioned that the workshop was organized to sensitise the media on the contents of the policy, which aimed to reduce the country’s maternal mortality ratio from 512 per 100, 000 live births to 72 per 100,000 live births; and to attain zero maternal deaths by 2030.
