Upper East Population Advisory Committees Reactivated

Bolgatanga, Sept. 20, GNA - The National Population Council has reactivated its Population Advisory Committees (PAC) in the Upper East Region to assist compute data for next year's population census in the Region.

The Committees which are chaired by the District Chief Executives of the various districts assemblies, is to identify population issues and draw up workable strategies to address them. The Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. Epsona Ayamga, said the committee will deal with issues that are likely to militate against the population census exercise.

The MCE urged members of the committee to work hard to achieve the prime goals for the formation of the committee, saying that population issues were vital to the overall development objectives of the Assembly. Mr. Azam Alosibah, Regional Population Officer, in an address said the Bawku West District Population Advisory Committee has presented a proposed budget of 4,900 Ghana Cedis to undertake its activities, which the assembly had approved. Mr. Alosibah commended the Bawku West District population advisory committee for being effective in the region, and said the committee had chalked such success because of the commitment from members. He urged them to continue to take the management of population issues seriously. The Bawku West population advisory committee identified teenage pregnancy, women giving birth after 35 years, and low family planning practices as some of the problems confronting population management in the district.

Naba Robert Akolbila, Deputy District Coordinating Director for Bawku West, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the District Chief Executive, Mr. Imoro Anaba, said about 17 per cent of women in the area practiced family planning.

He said good family planning practice reduces poverty, checks population growth, and reduces the burden on natural resources, adding that less family planning puts pressure on educational infrastructure, hospitals and social amenities.

Naba Akolbila advised the committee members to intensify the education on population issues, and pledged the Assembly's readiness to support the committee to achieve its objective. 20 Sept. 09