Traditional authorities, key to controlling population growth – NPC
The National Population Council (NPC) has called on the various traditional authorities to support the Council’s efforts to control the increasing population growth in the country.
Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah, Executive Director of the NPC, said controlled population growth is key to producing quality human resources to propel development, attain the Sustainable Development Goals as well as relieve the pressure on the scarce resources and limited infrastructure adding that traditional rulers have great roles to play in this regard.
The Executive Director made the call at Bongo when she visited the Bonaba, Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, the Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area.
The visit was to seek collaboration from the traditional authorities to complement the Council’s efforts at controlling population growth in order to improve on the lives of the people.
Dr Appiah said the rate at which the country’s population was increasing is a great concern which poses a threat to the country’s efforts to meet the demands from the citizenry.
She said it is necessary to adopt a collective effort from all relevant stakeholders including the chiefs to deal with the concern.
Dr Appiah said reproductive issues are individualistic but its repercussions are national as high population growth would mount intense pressure on the few social amenities such as hospitals and schools among others.
She said the Council was not against families who wished to have children more than three as reported in the media adding “it is scientifically proven that when a woman gives birth to only three children she lives longer and has better quality life.”
The Executive Director called for the adoption of family planning practices to enhance the wellbeing of the woman as well as the children, especially after the mother has given birth to a third child.
Dr Appiah appealed to the traditional authorities to use their influence in their various communities to educate their subjects to appreciate the importance of family planning to control population growth and enhance national development.
She urged the chiefs to do more to deal with the high teenage pregnancies recorded in the country each year by punishing people who impregnate teenagers to serve as deterrent to others.
The Paramount Chief thanked Dr Appiah for the visit and the efforts made by the Council to deal with the country’s increasing population.
He said the vision of the NPC in achieving quality life across all levels in the country is in line with the vision of every traditional ruler and expressed his council’s commitment to support the programmes and policies of the Population Council.
Bonaba said the incidence of teenage pregnancies in the district was quite high and called for the amendment of some provisions in the constitution to empower chiefs to prosecute people who get young girls pregnant.
Source: GNA