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Invest in family planning to boost demographic dividends-NPC Boss
The Executive Director of the National Population Council (NPC), Dr. Leticia Adelaide Appiah has stressed on the need for Ghana to invest heavily in family planning which would help in turning the wheels towards economic development.
She was optimistic that, the demographic window of opportunity was opening for Ghana and therefore the citizens needed to become braver, stronger and bolder champions of population and development now than ever.
The Executive Director gave this address, during the launch of a documentary in Accra andfunded by USAID, which was designed to educate the public on the need for prioritizing family as a goal to demographic dividend.
Demographic dividend was explained by Dr. Appiah as the accelerated economic growth that a country could experience as a result of changes in population structure.
The NPC boss indicated that, sustained decline in fertility and mortality in countries produce changes in the population age structure with an accompanying increase in the working age population in relation to dependents.
She expressed optimism that, through sustained high-level of advocacy and sensitization, there would be an impact of reaping the demographic dividend.
That, she reiterated, would become a national priority among policy makers, political and traditional leaders which would bring about an increased commitment to invest in quality human capital.
“Though Ghana has experienced an appreciable decline in fertility since the 1980’s from 6.4 per cent in 1988 to 4.2 per cent in 2014 and corresponding dependency ratio, there is still room for further decline by focusing on reducing avoidable high-risk pregnancies”, she stated.
Dr. Appiah referred to the maternal health survey in 2017 which said that, the survival of infants and children depended in part on the demographic and biological characteristics of their mothers.
Shereccounted that, mortality and morbidity risk of mother and infant were higher if the mother was below 18 years, and birth intervals were less than two years and also women older than 35 to 40 years at first birth.
Delivering a keynote address at the launch, Dr. KodjoEssiem Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General of The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) said maternal mortality rate has been dropping since 2007 from 451 per 100,000 live births to 310 per 100,000 live births in 2017.
He said, Ghana’s census data showed that, the proportion of population under 15 years old had fallen steadily from 46.9 per cent to 38.3 per cent in 2010.
According to him, the window of opportunity for harnessing a demographic dividend was said to open when country’s dependency ratio declined below 60 dependents per 100 working-age adults.
Dr. Mensah-Abrampa indicated that, with thecurrent dependency ratio of 76 dependents per 100 working-age, there was no doubt that, Ghana has a window of opportunity to harness a demographic dividend.
The NDPC boss said that, since 2013, Ghana had consciously embarked on interventions to harness the demographic dividend by making strategic investments in key sectors including education, health, economy, nutrition and governance.
By Alfred NiiArdayAnkrah
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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