UNFPA Supports Bauchi MDAs On Demographic Dividend For Development
By Murtala Muhammad
Towards harnessing Demographic Dividend in Bauchi State, provision of qualitative health care and education for citizens as well as provision of good governance are identified as the major priorities for the state to attain its economic development target.
These were part of the issues resolutions reached at the orientation organized for relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies MDAs by the State Ministry of Budget Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), held in Bauchi.
The participant submits that provision of qualitative education especially to the girl child, economic empowerment through entrepreneurship skills development, and making available the modern family planning methods for easy access to clients should be the focus of the state government towards achieving Demographic Dividend.
Presenting a paper, the Assistant Country Representative, Mr Dashe Dasogot said Demographic Dividend is the process of development that accelerate the process of economic development in line with reduction in population size or structure.
Mr Dasogot said the first Demographic Dividend seeks to ensure that young people get employed into the labour workforce early, so that they can stay long to contribute meaningfully to economy for growth and development of the state.
According to him, the first Demographic Dividend was temporal, while the second which focuses on older persons is more sustainable because they would continue to contribute the economy due to decline in their consumption.
On economy development of the country, Mr Dasogot said women contribute more than men because they start economic activities early and save more compared to their male counterpart.
Earlier the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Idris Sale Giade said the orientation was an eye opener for the state to use its human and economic resources to maximally harness its population potential.
In a closing remark, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Ali Babayo commended UNFPA for the orientation, stating that it has widen the participants knowledge.
He called for more collaboration towards attaining the state’s Demographic Dividend for economic growth and development.
