The Member of Parliament for Pru West Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Kofi Ntekuni, has made a passionate appeal to Ghanaians to take population management seriously as the country joined the global community to commemorate this year’s World Population Day.
In an engagement with the media, Hon. Ntekuni stressed that Ghana’s rapid population growth poses a major threat to national development if not properly managed. He said the increasing number of people, especially in rural and underserved communities, is placing enormous pressure on already limited social and economic infrastructure.
“Population management is not just a numbers game; it’s a matter of strategic planning, resource allocation, and sustainable development,” the MP emphasized.
Drawing attention to his constituency, he lamented the high levels of unemployment among the youth, inadequate educational infrastructure, limited access to potable water, and rising rates of teenage pregnancies. According to him, these challenges are worsened by poor planning and a lack of population control strategies.
Hon. Ntekuni observed that the alarming rate of teenage and unwanted pregnancies in the Pru West District is largely due to youth unemployment and limited opportunities for young people to properly plan their futures. “Many of our young girls are becoming mothers too early, not by choice, but by circumstances created by hardship and lack of support systems,” he said.
As part of the solution, he called on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to prioritize and expand the School Feeding Programme. He said this would serve as a strong motivation for children to stay in school rather than follow their parents to farms in search of food or income. “A well-fed child in school is a hopeful child. We must make the classroom more attractive than the farm for our future leaders,” he added.
Hon. Ntekuni also highlighted the demographic context of Africa in global terms. He explained that Africa currently has a population of about 1.4 billion people, representing 19% of the world’s population. Ghana alone accounts for approximately 0.45% of that figure. He noted that, according to research, the birth rate in Africa is significantly higher than in other parts of the world, especially Europe.
“If these trends continue, the world population is projected to reach 9.9 billion by the year 2050. The question is, are we ready to support that many people with housing, jobs, healthcare, and education?” he questioned.
He urged national and local leaders, civil society organizations, and religious bodies to join forces in educating the public about family planning, reproductive health, and the importance of responsible parenting. He also called for the creation of more economic opportunities for the youth to reduce social vices and economic dependency.
“Population management must become a central pillar in our development agenda. We must act now to ensure a future where every Ghanaian, regardless of where they are born, has access to the basic necessities of life,” Hon. Ntekuni concluded.
The MP’s statement serves as a timely reminder of the complex link between population growth and national development, as Ghana charts a path toward a more sustainable and inclusive future.
