University Lecturer Kicks Against Three Children Per Parent Policy

Dr. Kwabena Nsiah Donkor, a lecturer at the department of population and health at the Cape Coast University has warned against the implementation of the three babies per family policy in the country.

There have been moves by the National Population Council in recent times to push for the enforcement of an existing policy that urges couples to give birth to a maximum of three children as a means to curtail population control.

According to the Cape Coast University lecturer, it is not realistic to achieve the motive behind the policy but rather focusing on investing in health, education and jobs will help to control population growth.

Dr. Nsiah Donkor in an interview on Class FM this morning strongly opposed the move and insisted that it is not the way to go if we want to control population growth in the country.

“If you look at all developing countries or countries that are poor, their population growth is high. And if you look at countries that are developed, their population growth is very low. With some not even up to 2.1 which is the per fiscal increment level”, he shared.

He opines that when you check Ghana’s demographical health survey report, you will find out that those with higher fertilities are those with less education. Particularly the females. Rightly so those with less educations are those who do not use modern contraceptives thereby leading to them giving birth to a lot of children.

He stresses that because of what he has read and what science has proven, it is necessary that the Population council looks at the education factor in order to tackle the issue.

Dr. Nsiah further observes that if you go to countries like Niger, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea they have high population growth due to the high fertility rate over there. This he says is because the level of education of the women over there is low and they do not use a contraceptive.

He observes that comparing it to women in developed countries one will find out that it is not the case. But rather women in developed countries are very educated and even though they are productive and engage in sexual activities, they use contraceptives to avoid giving birth too much.

“The free SHS if we manage it very well it will help us because the kids will know how to manage their sexuality and even those who will wish to be sexually active will know where to go for contraceptive medicines”

He is, therefore, championing for education to be fundamental if the National Population Council wants to check high population growth in the country.

The Population Council is also proposing that severe sanctions be meted to couples who will exceed the stipulated number of children.