Ebonyi State is an agrarian state and it indeed has a lot of potentials which when harnessed can propel the state to greater heights. Today in Nigeria, Ebonyi is one of the biggest rice producing states and apart from that, it also has other agricultural produce. The question then is why is the state not recording rapid development and why is the agricultural produce not enough for the people. The reason may not be farfetched as the welfare of a people depends on available resources. And in a situation where the population growth in a place is not in tandem with or far outweighs available resources, there is bound to be problems. According to the Resource for the Awareness of Population Impacts (RAPID) document which was recently launched in the state through the efforts of a non-governmental Organisation, Health Policy Plus (HP+), Ebonyi State development goals and objectives in the short, medium and long-term goals may not be achieved, because of the state’s high fertility rate of 5.3 per cent. The document produced by the USAID funded HP+, noted that the population of the state is currently increasing more than it is growing economically. It also pointed out the benefits that would accrue the state if it reduces its fertility rate and they include; 176,000 fewer primary pupils will need to be educated in 2050 and about N33 billion saved. Also, 1,100 fewer doctors will need to be trained between now and 2050. Furthermore, 360,000 fewer new jobs will be required between now and 2050. Speaking during the launch of the document in Abakaliki, the Country Director of Health Policy Plus (HP+) Mr. Onoriode Ezire, charged the state government to embrace family planning to avert looming crisis. He maintained that the growing population would increase challenges in acquiring quality education, accessing health care, just as it would increase unemployment level. He noted that the high population growth rate in Ebonyi, is as a result of the young age structure combined with high level of fertility in Ebonyi, which according to him was much higher than any other South-east state. He said if nothing is done to check the trend the annual birth rate could increase to almost 185, 000 by 2050.
Ezire lamented that most of the people used to cause unrest in the country are unemployed. There is no way Nigeria can continue to talk about economic growth, tackling unemployment and even crime rate without addressing some pertinent issues. And underlying all the above mentioned issues is the population figure. Ebonyi, like most part of Nigeria has to embrace child-spacing as it will go a long way in enabling parents to plan and adequately take care of their children. When that is done, the state will feel the impact. Therefore, I urge the Ebonyi State government, traditional and religious leaders in the state to rise up to the occasion. The RAPID document should not be looked at or treated as any other document. It should be used as a guide to enable proper planning. The findings captured in the document should be taken seriously so that a change in attitude can take place.
Also, there is a need for adequate enlightenment of the people so that they can key into the project to develop Ebonyi State. Furthermore, there should be adequate funding of child-spacing programmes just as money appropriated should be released. The state Assembly should provide legislations that will help relevant parties who wish to engage in such programmes to carry-out their duties effectively.
From Uzoma Ikemefuna wrote from Afikpo, Ebonyi State.
