The 10th National Assembly is committed to programmes and policies that will ensure increased uptake of Family Planning (FP) methods in the country.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said this on Thursday at the ongoing 8th Nigeria Family Planning Conference 2024 in Abuja, with the theme “Sustaining Commitments for Family Planning.”
Kalu, who was Special Guest at the event, said that the House took the issues of family planning seriously when it was presented before it.
He explained that “when the proposal for the allocation of one per cent of health sector budget to family planning activities came before us,
we considered it as a worthwhile proposal.
“That explains why family planning got four million U.S. dollars in the 2024 budget, and we are ready to do more.”
The lawmaker, who commended the organisers of the conference, said adequate attention must be given to family planning for the country
to move forward.
Ms Rodio Diallo, the Deputy Director, Gates Foundation, Abuja, said the foundation is committed to supporting Nigeria in its programmes to achieve FP2030.
Diallo said the country is on the right track to achieving the goals ahead of the 2030 target.
Dr Salma Ibrahim-Anas, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Health, said the Federal Government prioritized the health needs of women and the girl-child.
She said “this is the time to get family planning activities right; states and local governments must emulate the Federal Government.”
She added that the Federal Government had created opportunities for women to share experiences in the development of the nation.
“President Bola Tinubu has established the Presidential Value Chain to help harmonise efforts on family planning to avoid duplication of efforts.
“We are telling Nigerians to control the number of children they want to have, so they can take care of them.
“We, therefore, expect community and faith-based organisations to help government and extend the information to their people.”(NAN)
