Commission task stakeholders on revised population policy

Commission task stakeholders on revised population policy
NAN-HG-6
Review
By Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2017 (NAN) Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), the Chairman, National Population Commission (NPopC), has called on stakeholders to ensure that the revised 2004 National Population Policy (NPP) is implemented to achieve sustainable development.
He made the appeal at the presentation of the draft revised national policy on population for sustainable development and its strategic implementation plan on Tuesday in Abuja.
Duruiheoma recalled that the review process started in 2015 when the 2004 NPP targets terminated along with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the advent of a new global development goal tagged “Agenda 2063’’.
The chairman commended all government agencies and development partners, including UNFPA and USAID-HP+ as well as CSOs and core members of the Population Technical Working Group (PTWG) for their technical support and funding.
Mr Dasogot Dashe, representative of UNFPA at the meeting, urged the Federal Government to ensure that the revised NPP is pragmatic, implementable and acceptable to all Nigerians.
Dashe also advised NPopC to review its strategic plan for vital registration to complement the revised NPP.
On his part, the Country Director, Mr Oniriode Ezire, noted that several changes occurred since 2004 that necessitated the need to revise and update the NPP to bridge observed gaps.
Ezire listed the changes to include population, resources and technology, emerging and increasing issues of IDPs, flooding and non-communicable diseases, among others, at the national level.
According to him, changes in national and global policies like economic recovery and growth plan, SDGs, AU and Nigeria roadmap to demographic dividend.
“With the revised policy we now have more realistic goals, targets and objectives that reflect the current needs of the country,’’ he said.
The country director pledged the commitment of HP+ to support the finalisation and effective implementation of the revised NPP.
Mr Sani Ali-Gar, the Director, Population Management of NPopC, said in a presentation that the revised policy noted Nigeria’s growing population and called for urgent action by all stakeholders.
Ali-Gar said the revised NPP reaffirmed the rights of couples to decide “whether, when or how often to have children’’.
He added that the policy also retained the goals of achieving demographic transition of low birth and death rates as potential for reaping demographic dividend.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the meeting was attended by all the national commissioners of NPopC, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Office of the Vice President, NAN and development partners. (NAN)
MST