The National Planning Commission (NPC) said on Wednesday that the Population and Development Strategic Plan (PPD) for 2015-2019 had been approved to enable it to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Secretary to NPC, Bassey Akpanyung, announced this in Abuja at the meeting of the National Task Force Group for Partners in PPD on South-South Cooperation Stakeholders and Coordination.
“The plan has been approved by the board since March this year. We discussed the draft PPD Strategic Plan for 2015-2019, with its priorities as ensuring universal access to sexual and productive healthcare services and rights.
“We wish to thank you all for your inputs that have led to the development of a comprehensive strategic plan to meet the challenges of the PPD member countries.
“I remember, we discussed that when finally approved, all stakeholders in Nigeria, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) present here to be able to examine that document and key in where they have relevance.“
Akpanyung, who was represented by Samuel Eloho, NPC’c deputy director, International Cooperation Department, said that the plan was approved in March.
He said that the aging population in Nigeria was expected to increase in number just as life expectancy rates would gradually increase.
The secretary said life expectancy rates would increase with significant social and economic implications to the individuals and the Nigerian government.
“The old age depend ratio is not high at present (at least compared with the developing) but it will increase in the coming years. This serves as pointer to challenges that may be witnessed on aging in the nearest future,’’ he said.
The secretary, however, commended the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) for supporting the development of the plan and other activities in Nigeria.
In her remarks, the UNFPA Country Director, Ratidzal Ndhlovu, assured Nigeria of its continued support to achieve the SDGs.
Represented by Dashe Dasogot, the NPC- Demography and Statistic Official, UNFPA, said that the mandate of the organisation had come to stay in the county.
“We request as part of this meeting; we want to do a presentation on Sustainable Development; how far we have gone and bring out where we come in also to highlight key challenges in the process since we are all stakeholders.
“But our commitment to development of Nigeria is solid and we stand by it and hope that the meeting will be fruitful.’’
The National Task Group is the bridge builder in implementing the objectives of South-South Cooperation.
The task group helps to implement the objective of the South-South Cooperation in the promotion of family planning, gender, sexual reproductive health and population and development to enhance capacity.
It further seeks to provide a holistic way to identify potential institutions in the country that could become part of the hub to provide technical cooperation to other developing countries.
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