Oyebanji: Poor Population Data Fuelling Poverty, Hunger in Nigeria

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has declared that the inability of government at all levels to integrate the spiralling population rate into their development plans was contributing largely to increasing poverty, hunger and neglect being suffered by Nigerians .

Oyebanji posited that a developing nation like Nigeria, with rising population, necessitated by unbridled birth rate, must prepare a proper economic policy that will cater for all citizens to reduce the poverty index.

Oyebanji spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday while declaring open a seminar tagged: “Integration of Population Variables into Development Planning”, organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and Bureau of Statistics.

The governor, represented by his Deputy,  Monisade Afuye, said there must be a way to devise ways of having appropriate population data that can guide policy makers in making strategic economic decisions that  can benefit the nation.

Oyebanji said the frightening indices of hunger and food insecurity, deprived population, unemployment, crime and associated social actions, make it imperative for government to plan for its population.

He commended the Ministry of Budget and  Economic Planning for putting together the workshop, believing that it will significantly assist in addressing the topical issue of identification of population variables to be integrated into the development plans.

Oyebanji added it was in realisation of the explosive population, that the six pillars of his administration was crafted to cover thematic areas like Human Capital Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, Industrialisation, Good Governance, Arts, Culture and Tourism, Youth Development and Job Creation.

“Let me reiterate that the present administration led by our visionary governor will continue to make people the centre of our planning and development efforts. I urge all individuals, and government and non-governmental agencies to key into this initiative and support the efforts of the State Government”, he assured.

In his submission, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo, applauded Oyebanji for capturing the poor masses, youths, pensioners and all the strata of Ekiti in his development plans.

Adebayo urged the participants to place high interest in the intellectual discourse, to be able to garner the knowledge of using population variables for the actualisation of the development plans of the government.

In their contributions, the Commissioners for Women’s Affairs, Peju Babafemi, Capacity Building, Prof. Patrick Tedela, Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun ,Director General/Special Adviser, Office of Transformation and Delivery, Dr. Moyo Ekundayo,  described planning as central to development.