Family planning panacea to economic growth, unemployment, says group

Access to family planning or childbirth spacing, according to The Challenge Initiative (TCI) would help spur economic growth and reduce unemployment.

The body observed that myths and misconceptions are the major barrier to exploring opportunities family planning provides. It, therefore, urged media practitioners to advocate more fund and access to family planning.

Speaking at a two-day orientation workshop for Network of Reproductive Health Journalists, Nigeria (NRHJN) by TCI with support from Development Communications Network (DEVCOMS), Director, TCI Nigeria, Victor Imuwahen Igharo, tasked journalists to influence residents to take positive action on family planning. He noted that family planning is not about number, but about quality living.

Technical Advisor, Capacity Strengthening, Lekan Ajijola, said about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s population is dependent, stressing that family planning is essential for the country to achieve demographic dividends.Sad that family planning programmes are largely donor driven, he implored journalists to work hard to address myths and misconceptions bedeviling the issue.