Prof. Patrick Edewor of the Department of Sociology, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, has advocated improved investment in girl-child education to reduce fertility and stem the population growth in the country.
Delivering the 16th inaugural lecture of the university with the theme: “Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth: The motivation, the costs and the gains,” last Thursday, Edewor noted that prolific child-bearing, high fertility and rapid population growth were disadvantageous, especially in Nigeria and Africa countries whose economies are growing at snail’s pace.
Edewor said high population growth undermines the best efforts at improving the quality of life.
He suggested that a vigorous pursuit of girl-child education, particularly in the northern geo-political zones, coupled with social and economic development, was the only way to reduce rapid population growth.
Edewor said: “High fertility is associated with poverty and where there is poverty, there will be high fertility.
“And with high fertility, there will be a preponderance of young persons which will lead to high dependency burden.
“High dependency burden will lead to low propensity to save, which will, in turn, lead to low investments.
“Low investments will lead to low capital formation which will create unemployment and eventually lead to poverty.”
He therefore recommended that education as the most ideal tool, adding that aside raising the age of the female and changing their life style, it would also change the world view of both sexes. Education would cause couples to become more knowledgeable about family planning techniques and alter traditional high fertility norms, Edewor added.
In addition to poverty and high unemployment rate, Edewor listed famine, overcrowding and high rate of crime as some of the negative effects of rapid population growth.
Earlier, CUVice-Chancellor Prof. Aaron Atayero, underscored the need for African countries to check rapid population growth and fertility rate to harnessed their potentials.
Atayero, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Akan Williams, said it creates adverse effects on a country’s development.
“Every nation should strive toward achieving an optimum population that would guarantee the maximum welfare of the citizens of that country, given its resource.” he said.