Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Population Commission (NPC) has inaugurated the Population Advisory Group (PAG) to drive the implementation of the Revised National Population Policy (NPP) to improve the quality of life and standard of living of everyone in Nigeria.
This is as Nigeria is expected to be among the set of countries to drive population growth in the next few years.
The Executive Chairman, NPC, Mr Nasir Kwarra, tasked the members to support the National Council on Population Management (NCPM) to drive the implementation of the Revised National Population Policy.
“The PAG is a laudable group saddled with the responsibility of advising the National Population Commission and National Council on Population Management
“On the most appropriate way to coordinate the implementation of the National Population Policy and to manage the population,” he said.
The Executive Chairman, who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the launch of the National Population Policy, said it was vital to improving the quality of life in Nigeria.
Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said that on the occasion the Revised National Population Policy was an innovative and transformative document that required the support of stakeholders.
Mr Mustapha, who was represented by Mr Shehu Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) urged the members to live up to expectations.
On behalf of the federal government, he expressed gratitude to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and other international donors for their support of Nigeria.
The SGF, which urged the UNFPA and its partners to sustain their support, expressed Nigeria’s commitment to achieving a quality population.
Ms Ulla Mueller, Country Representative, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) described the inauguration as a great step towards mobilising resources for the implementation of the National Population Policy.
Ms Mueller, who was represented by Dr Collins Opiyo, Chief Technical Adviser to the National Population Commission and official of UNFPA, said that the inauguration demonstrate the country’s commitment to harnessing the potential of young people.
On his part, Mr Durunguwa Abdulmalik, Chairman of Population Management and Development (PMDD), said that coordination and full implementation of the National Population Policy required a holistic advisory guide.
While congratulating the members of the group, he described them as persons with intellectual capacity and proven integrity capable of rendering fruitful advice to NPC.
Responding, Mr Usman Sarki, on behalf of the members of the group thanked NPC for finding them credible enough to serve in the group and affirmed their commitment to delivering on their mandate.
National Population Policy (NPP) provisions, the Population Advisory Group (PAG) has 15 members and is chosen from different spectrums of society. The Chairman of the group is the Executive Chairman, National Population Commission with eminent persons in the field of population development constituting the membership and the membership of the group reflected geo-political spread and gender considerations.
