NGO advocates legal framework to control child birth

Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Media Foundation, (GLOMEF), a media advocacy anti-corruption Non-Governmental Organisation, has advocated a legal framework that would control child birth, as Ghana celebrates the World Population Day.

The World Population Day, which falls on July 11 every year, and instituted by the United Nations in 1989, aims at re-affirming the human right to plan for a family. It also encourages activities, events and information to assist in making this right a reality throughout the world.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in an interview on Tuesday in Sunyani, Mr. Ahenu emphasized that Ghana’s population was growing at a faster rate, and there was therefore the need to step up measures to control it.

He said studies had shown that the national population, if not checked and controlled, would jump from the current estimated 27 million to 60 million by the year 2025.

Mr. Ahenu observed that although individuals, parents and families had the basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children, the government and other relevant state institutions must also ensure that national population was stabilized for some period.

He stressed that it would be a huge challenge for national development if the country’s population was not stabilized, noting that it could be achieved if greater attention was paid to reproductive health problems, especially in local communities.

According to Mr. Ahenu, a collective responsibility was required from the government, community-based and non-governmental organisations, as well as the media, towards the use of contraceptives and other family planning services concerning population control.

He stressed that the availability and easy access to modern contraceptives must encourage families and individuals to reduce child birth.