Lawmaker Decries Population Growth

The Chief Whip of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Tunde Olatunji has called on government to check the nation’s geometrical population growth to reduce the high level of poverty in the country.
Olatunji, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Ife North Constituency, made the call while speaking with newsmen in Osogbo.
The lawmaker said that the country’s large population was not a strength, adding that what constitutes national strength and power should be the percentage of such huge number that could be converted into human capital.
According to Olatunji, Nigeria must be ready to take painful population control measures, as was done in Singapore which moved from third world to first world country within a generation.
“For efforts at fighting poverty to record any significant impact in Nigeria, it is imperative to control the nation’s geometrical population growth.
“In the instance where a society with less population is more productive than its counterpart with larger number and more natural resources, the obvious consequence is poverty.
The lawmaker, who expressed concern over the spate of insecurity in the country, attributed the scourge to uncontrolled population growth.
He said the uncontrolled population was  mounting pressure on the limited natural resources, resulting in climate change, reduction in resources and forced migration.