Demographic Dividend: Role of religious, community leaders
A News Analysis
By Mustapha Sumaila
Demography
Abuja, Spet. 26, 2018 (NAN) Religious and community leaders remain incontrovertible moral beacons, expected to show exemplary life by being upright, trustworthy, honest and disciplined, among other values, to their respective followers.
For this reason, over the years, religious leaders in the country have been entrusted with overseeing development projects in their communities.
For instance, religious leaders play significant roles alongside traditional rulers in sensitising people in their communities to accepting polio vaccination across the country.
In view of this, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently organised a national conference to woo religious leaders to key into the project of harnessing demographic dividend in the country.
The conference, entitled: “Harnessing demographic dividend for sustainable development in Nigeria; the role of Muslims religious leaders’’, addressed some key issues relating what the roles of religious leaders ought to be.
Demographers describe demographic dividend as economic growths that may result from changes to a country’s age structure.
They argue that shift in age structure are driven by a transition from people living short lives and having large families to living long lives and having small families.
“When households have fewer children that they can take care of and a larger number of family members have decent jobs, the household can save and invest more money, then the economy will grow,’’ they observe.
The UNFPA’s Regional Director, West and Central Africa Regional office, Dr Mabingue Ngom, therefore said that community leaders must be the driving force for Nigeria also to attain demographic dividend.
Ngom explained that for a successful demographic dividend in Nigeria, religious and traditional rulers must lead the change.
According to him, sustainable change happens at local level and no one can make any change on demographic dividend without the leadership drive of community leaders.
“The religious and traditional leaders lead the community, therefore, they must lead this change and henceforth we want to see it at the community level and Nigeria has taken a bold step by launching demographic dividend.
“UNFPA values this partnership; this gathering is important because of the need to work with local communities and their leaders,’’ he said.
The regional director also underscored the need to create space for young people for the achievement of demographic dividend in the country.
“Put young people first; not only saying it, but by acting it and giving them space and place to operate and there must be the presence of the youth in the budget and policies, as well as in decision making.
“There is need to create space for the girl-child to be part of the force, therefore, we must invest in the girls and give them chance to grow or else it will be difficult to see the growth we envisage,’’ he said.
Ngom emphasised that the demographic dividend was a holistic approach to ensuring that the needs of youth in terms of health, education, jobs and empowerment were addressed as part of the country’s contribution to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Global engagements, regional engagements specifically informed of UNFPA’s engagements and partnership with religious leaders towards harnessing demographic dividend, including family planning and reduction of maternal mortality,’’ he observed.
In his remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, called for training of community leaders on demographic dividend to properly educate the populace.
Represented by the Emir of Shonga, Alhaji Haliru Yahaya, the sultan explained that the capacity of community leaders must be built and empower them with the right information to disseminate to their subjects on demographic dividend.
“The engagement of community leaders is important and such leaders must be convinced in what the demographic dividend is all about.
“They must be empowered with the right information that demographic dividend programme is not meant to reduce the population of Islamic nations.
“When they are equipped with such right information, they will carry out sermons on Sundays and Fridays in ensuring the attainment of demographic dividend,’’ he observed.
The religious leader noted that Islam encouraged having children, but it was a sin to have children that you could not cater for in terms of providing them with basic needs of life.
The sultan emphasised on the need to make concerted effort to ensure education, health and empowerment of women and young people were put in proper perspective in achieving demographic dividend in the country.
He urged religious leaders to preach to people to give birth to children they could cater for not children that would be thrown to the streets as beggars.
Abubakar noted that attention must also be paid to the reproductive health of women and well being of the young people.
Prof. Salisu Shehu, who represented Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs at the conference, said that it was time to work to save the lives of women and children through improving in productive and maternal health.
Speaking on harnessing demographic dividend, the scholar said that Islam had perspective on quality and quantity children.
He warned that no one should be giving birth indiscriminately at the expense of quality, noting that having children one could not cater far would be a sin.
“When you produce, ensure they are qualitative by ensuring their biological nutrition, good health and give them psychological-intellectual by giving them education as well as moral and spiritual.
“We frown at distribution of condoms to the youth because overtime, that act has encouraged flirting in the society,’’ he explained.
Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, nonetheless, appealed to religious leaders to support the change by embracing this effort to harnessing demographic dividend in the country.
Adewole observed that available record had shown that efforts and role of religious leaders had helped for improved family planning in the country.
He promised that the Federal Ministry of Health would continue to work with UNFPA to continue in engaging stakeholders in that regard.
He also commended the present administration for empowering women and the youth and by affording the girl-child quality and affordable education. (NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)