2017 APLS: NPC Chairman urges investment for decent, productive jobs

2017 APLS: NPC Chairman urges investment for decent, productive jobs
NAN-HG-6
Lecture
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Oct. 30, 2017 (NAN) Chief Eze Duruiheoma, the Chairman of National Population Commission (NPopC), has called for more investment on creating decent and productive jobs to absorb the large proportion of the country’s working age population.
Duruiheoma made the appeal on Monday in Abuja at the fifth Annual Population Series Lecture (APLS).
The theme for this year’s lecture is: “Achieving Demographic Dividend: Strategic Tool for National Economic Recovery and Sustainable Development’’.
According to him, demographic dividend is the accelerated economic growth that may result from a decline in a country’s mortality and fertility.
Duruiheoma stated that Nigeria was at the verge of experiencing a potential dividend due to increase in the share of the population in the working ages of 15 to 64 years, and decline in the non-working ages 0-14 years and 65 years and above.
He noted that the current large population of young Nigerians presented the opportunity for the accelerated economic growth if the necessary investment were put in place.
He also said that educating young persons, particularly the adolescent boys and girl child, having healthcare facilities and access to appropriate range of Family Planning (FP) commodities would help in achieving demographic dividend.
The chairman further said that improved nutrition, information and positively engaging young people in governance would help address youth restiveness, combat desertification and investment in modern agriculture to ensure food sufficiency and security.
He noted that the implementation of the National Roadmap on demographic dividend started under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the Economic Growth and Recovery Programme (EGRP) as well as comprehensive social investment programme.
According to him, programmes being pursued under this initiative were N-power, Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP) will help in reaping the benefits of demographic dividends.
He therefore believed that the presentation would lead to improved national understanding of the concept of demographic dividend as well its importance to development process.
Duruiheoma also noted that the social investment programmes to building demographic dividend cut across five pillars, including health and well being, education and skills development, employment and entrepreneurship, governance and youth participation.
He urged the states and local governments to emulate the federal government by embarking on social programmes that would impact positively on the lives of Nigerians.
He therefore thanked the UNFPA, the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) and other development partners for their financial, technical and logistics support towards the success of the programme.
The Guest Speaker, Prof. Peter Ogunjiyigbe, said that achieving demographic dividend required a sustainable development that meets the present and future needs of the Nigerian populace in terms of education, health and infrastructure, among others.
He also said that there must be gender equality and the need to address fertility issues in ensuring that demographic dividend is achieved.
He noted that other countries were able to enjoy demographic dividend because they invested in education, health as well as FP.
“To achieve demographic dividend, there must be reduction in fertility and this must be in conjunction with sound social and economic policies.
“Such as expansion of family planning programme and services as well as improvement in child health outcome.
“Promotion of girl child education, creating of labour intensive programmes and a consistent policy,” he said. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola