Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has asserted that Nigeria’s large population can be transformed into a powerful national asset if policymakers develop an economic framework that addresses the needs of all citizens.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Thursday at a sensitisation seminar on the National Population Policy for Sustainable Development, the Governor explained that this belief informed the design of his administration’s six-point agenda, which he said was crafted to serve the four million residents of Ekiti State without leaving anyone behind.
The seminar was organised by the Ekiti State Bureau of Statistics in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government Affairs and the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN). It drew participants from local government leadership, security agencies, traditional institutions, and religious bodies.
Represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, Governor Oyebanji stressed that a nation’s policies must take into account fertility and mortality rates, patterns of migration, the quality of life, environmental sustainability, and the overall well-being of its people.
“Population growth can be either beneficial or detrimental, depending on how it is managed,” he said. “With sound planning, Nigeria’s continuous population increase can become a potent tool for building a progressive society, where growth is viewed as a strategic advantage.”
The Governor noted that his administration had, through deliberate and well-considered policies, worked to improve living standards, reduce poverty and inequality, expand healthcare access, protect the environment, and promote social inclusion. He added that these efforts had also opened opportunities for the productive segment of the population to embrace innovation while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
Seeking collaboration, Oyebanji appealed to stakeholders present to contribute meaningfully to the implementation of dynamic and far-reaching policies aimed at cultivating a population that can actively drive the state’s growth.
Ekiti State Statistician-General, Mrs Dasola Ojo, maintained that reliable population data was indispensable for effective economic and socio-political planning. Such data, she explained, enables governments to safeguard lives and property, while ensuring equitable distribution of public infrastructure.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Kwamoti Laori, who also serves as PPFN National Chairman, underscored the urgency of accurate population data for national development. He commended the involvement of traditional rulers, religious leaders, and council chairmen in the seminar, describing them as “agents of change” whose influence could drive the adoption of sound policies.
Chairman of the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers and Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado, stated that beyond aiding governance, credible population figures could stimulate industrial growth by equipping investors with the information needed to make strategic business decisions. He pledged the council’s full support for efforts to compile accurate data that could accelerate the state’s socio-economic progress.
