By Salihu Kabir
In a renewed effort to create an enabling environment for discussions on managing population through equitable resource allocations and imbibing the culture of family planning at the household level, a volunteer initiative titled “Population Matters” have paid an advocacy visit to Unguwar Wakili in Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The visit was aimed at introducing the Population Matters Initiative and also reiterates the significance of accurate population data in securing funding and support for communities.
The advocacy visit also seeks highlight the importance of birth control in mitigating family hardships caused by large family sizes.
Sharing insights of the visit with our correspondent in Bauchi, the team lead of the Population Matters Initiative (PMI), Ms. Comfort Attah said that the team explained to the community leaders that Nigeria currently relies on the 2006 population census for decision-making, which no longer reflects the country’s rapidly growing population.
Attah pointed out to the community leaders that accurate and an up-to-date census data is essential for fair resource allocation and for attracting international aid.
The team also highlighted that controlling population growth through birth control is critical to easing the burden on families struggling to meet basic needs.
Responding, the head of the community, Danlami Umar Alhassan, expressed gratitude to the Population Matters team for choosing Unguwar Wakili for the advocacy visit.He assured the team of his full support to ensure the successful implementation of the project in his community.
Also speaking, another key member of the community leadership Suleiman Umar, acknowledged the importance of population data.
He admitted that initial misconceptions about census efforts had caused mistrust, but the team’s explanation clarified that the initiative aims to alleviate poverty through better resource distribution.
Both community leaders promised their full cooperation in supporting the upcoming sensitization activities within Unguwar Wakili, which will educate the wider community on the benefits of accurate population data and birth control.
Our correspondent reports that the advocacy visit has successfully secured the support of key community leaders in Unguwar Wakili, laying the groundwork for the upcoming sensitization efforts on population matters and the planned mini-census.
It was equally observed that the community leaders demonstrated a clear understanding of the goals and also pledged their commitment to assisting the project.