Birth control in Nigeria- what I think



The world bank data, has quoted Nigerian population to be around 216million people, and has projected the population to cross the 300million threshold by 2030. This projection is based on a consistent popolution growth rate of slightly above 2.5%



While this shouldn't be a problem, given that there are so many other countries with much higher growth rate figures, Nigeria's dependency ration (children between 0-15 plus old aged from 64 above compared to the working population) according to the world bank stands at 86%. This simply means 86% of our population is depending on 14%(those who are working). This crushing weight of dependants on the working population, calls for serious concern. Little wonder why we are still the poverty capital of the world.



Figures from UNICEF, shows that 46% of our population are children between the ages of 0-15. The number of children between the ages of 0-5 stands at about 31million, and annually, 7million children are born. These figures are seriously an underestimation, as most rural dwellers don't even use hospitals while giving birth and hence no record is kept.



While Nigerians are always in the mood to roll out drums and celebrate when ever a child is born, believing "nah God dey give pikin and nah him go help us train am", this has put Nigeria at a critical position. With unemployment rate for youth standing at 42.5%, underemployment at 22.8% and general unemployment at 33.3%( an all time high), truely we would agree with Obasanjo who said," Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gun powder". It is no longer a question of if it will blow up in our faces, it is now a question of when?



Looking at this worrisome stats, I think the government has to come up with a way to check this population growth, and I propose a legislation, that the number of children a person can have, should be directly proportional to his income( net income) unemployed persons and people with no stable source of income, should have no business producing children. Anyone earning below 50 thousand naira monthly should not be considering having children yet until his financial position improves. Those earning 50 thousand to 100 thousand, a child should do and from a hundred thousand upwards, two children and a ceiling of three children no matter the economic strata one finds oneself.



Enough of giving birth and expecting others to train them. Such irresponsibility should be nipped in the board. Any one who gives birth to children beyond his financial capability, should and arrested. Massive education and campaign should be carried out amongst the rural dwellers as well so as to enlighten them on the effect to over population on the economy.



Until then, the number out of school children will continue to soar, while child labour on the rise.

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Northerners are baby making machine region. They're our problem.