Governments urged to push agenda on population and development forward

Accra, Dec. 16, GNA- The Parliamentary Caucus on Population and Development on Tuesday called on governments in all countries to strive to make available five to 10 per cent of national development budgets for reproductive health programmes.

They also called for the mobilisation of financial resources to implement the International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP) Programme of Action held in Cairo 10 years ago.

The call was contained in a 15-point resolution and Call to Action adopted by Members of Parliament who attended an International Parliamentary Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD held at Ottawa, Canada in 2002.

The 15-point resolution was presented to the Speaker, Mr. Peter Ala-Adjetey by the Parliamentary Caucus on Population and Development, led by its chairman, Alhaji Abdulla Salifu.

Ghana's Parliamentary caucus was part of the group of MPs who adopted the resolution at Ottawa and pledged to push the agenda on population forward.

Alhaji Salifu said Ghana was among 72 countries represented at Ottawa last year to review progress on the implementation on ICPD, where it was realised that there were still huge problems on population and development, which were hanging.

He said there was high maternal mortality rates, unsafe abortions, lack of safe contraceptives and HIV/AIDS among other issues to be tackled.

He said members of parliament, therefore, pledged to update Speakers of Parliament and other colleagues on the need to put in more efforts in addressing these challenges.

Ms Theresa Tagoe, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry, who read out the resolutions, called on governments and legislators to enact, publise and enforce laws that promote and protect the human rights of the girl-child and ensure women's equal access to and full participation in decision-making at all levels.

Mr. Ala-Adjetey said issues on population and development was very important since the main resources of every nation were the human beings.

He charged the MP to see themselves as pressure groups and act as watchdogs to ensure that the resolution adopted at the Ottawa conference were implemented by governments.

Mr. Georgina Ofori-Amoah, Chairperson of the National Population Council, who chaired the function, said the Council would work closely with the Parliamentary caucus on Population and Development to push the agenda forward.

A framed version of the 15-point resolution was presented to the Speaker.