Nigeria's Minister of Health, Dr. Osaji Henaire, has reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to reducing birth rates through intensive monitoring and implementation of family planning services, BTA reported.

He announced the government's position at an event of the National Population Commission to mark the 2022 World Population Day in Abuja on Thursday.

World Population Day is celebrated annually on July 11 to raise awareness among the population on various issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, maternal health and human rights.

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The theme of the 2022 celebration is "A World of 8 Billion: Towards a Sustainable Future for All - Seizing Opportunities and Ensuring Rights and Choices for All".

Represented at the event by Dr. Salma Anas-Kolo, the Director of Family Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Henaire said it would be difficult for Nigeria to achieve human capital development without reducing the birth rate.

He therefore reiterated the federal government's commitment to reducing the birth rate, saying the focus was on sustainable domestic financing.

He added that "we have stepped up action on financing family planning, especially family planning products, as they are an integral part of reproductive health rights."

The Minister reaffirmed the determination of the Ministry of Health to mobilize the private sector to improve access to family planning goods.

The Chairman of the Nigerian National Population Commission, Alhaji Nasser Kwara, has called for a shift from quantity to quality of population and expressed the commitment of the commission to work in tandem with the revised national population policy.

He explained that the policy is people-oriented so that it promotes the rights of people and couples to freely and responsibly decide when and how to distribute their children.

Erika Goldson, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, emphasized the need for bodily autonomy and the protection of women and children.

Dr. Amina Dorayi, Director for Nigeria at Pathfinder International, said the protection of women and girls is paramount to achieving human capital development.

Dorayi explained that this can best be achieved through access to family planning and women's empowerment.

She called on stakeholders to collectively ensure that women and girls enjoy optimal reproductive and sexual health rights.

Dr Ejike Oji, the Chairman of the Technical Management Committee of the Family Planning Promotion Association, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari's commitment to population management.

Oji said the President has demonstrated political will to achieve the "Demographic Dividend" with the initiation of the National Population Policy and funding for family planning.

He urged everyone to continue to support the call to reduce the birth rate, aiming not only to achieve the "Demographic Dividend", but also to avert a population catastrophe.

Nigeria

family planning