DELTA INFORMATION COMMISSIONER CALLS FOR LAW ON POPULATION CONTROL

Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chief Patrick Ukah has called on the National Assembly to enact relevant law that will make the country to embrace population control as it is practiced in many countries of the world. Chief Ukah stated this in Asaba while playing host to a Family Planning Advocacy Core Group led by Mrs Ehitan Ikoghode-Aikpitanyi that paid him a courtesy visit. He asserted that Nigeria cannot continue to run away from population control, saying that it was evident that many parents had not been able to cater for the children they gave birth to. Chief Ukah said’’ I am looking forward to a day when the issue of population will come back to the centre stage of national discourse. I am looking forward to a day when old men in the National Assembly can enact laws that can actually help us to go into population control. If they don’t do it, an independent bill can go to the Assembly. We have to talk about it. If it does not happen today, it must happen someday.’’ While expressing concern over the plights of street children, the Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chief Ukah noted that the State Governor, Doctor Ifeanyi Okowa had spoken extensively at various fora on the need for population control. He said,’’ I remember in two major occasions, Governor Okowa raised issues of family planning. The first was during the University of Ibadan Alumni Awards in Ibadan,he spoke extensively on family planning. Again, during the Independent Awards in Lagos last year where he spoke on population control.’’ Chief Ukah who said the Family Planning Advocacy Core Group had a lot of work to do , said it was sad to see children walking aimlessly on the streets without any parental direction’’ It is a big problem in this nation .Some people believe that as many children you have, it is wealth. But how do you see the wealth when you did not plan for these children; you did not prepare for them to actually be the wealth.’’ While tasking the Advocacy Group to reach out to the people especially the rural populace , Chief Ukah said there were a lot of people waiting to support the venture’’ You have to be very aggressive about it. I think theadvocacy is going to be more on one on one, direct marketing to the people,town hall meetings, engagement with different stakeholders. You have to start talking to the traditional institutions. They have various villages under them and chains of command. When you interface with the grassroots, you get the best results. Talk to them in the language they understand. And I am very sure that our Governor will be happy to see that the advocacy is taking to a greater height.’’ On the request by the Family Planning Advocacy Core Group, the Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chief Ukah gave an assurance to assist and support in area of airtime but insisted that the group needed to come up with a synopsis of a quality programme and also to liaise with the General Managers of the state owned radio and television stations for their assistance, adding that the stations were now received far and wide. The Chairperson of the Family Planning Advocacy Core Group, Mrs Ikoghode-Aikpitanyi said the group was formed by the Challenged Initiative in 2017 to ensure that family planning becomes more visible in Delta State, and also to ensure that family planning commodities are available as well as having budget-line for family planning. ‘’We have identified that you are a major stakeholder in ensuring the visibility of family planning in Delta State. Our aim for this visit is to solicit airtime and also asking that you join in advocating the fact that family planning is relevant ‘’, she added