Uganda to host Africa conference on population

State minister for Finance, David Bahati (C) interacts with the President of Union for Africa Population studies, Prof. Samuel Codjoe (R) as Dr. Jotham Musinguzi looks on during the Union for Africa population studies Presidents visit at Ministry of Finance in Kampala on February 28t, 2018. Photo by Juliet Kasirye.

DEVELOPMENT|POPULATION
Uganda is to host the largest conference on population in Africa next year, according to the Union for Africa Population Studies (UAPS).

Professor Samuel Codjoe, the President of the Union for Africa Population Studies said the international conference on population will highlight policy issues on population that need to be addressed.

"We are extremely grateful that you have accepted to host the meeting," said Icodjoe during a meeting with David Bahati, the State Minister of Finance in charge of Planning under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

The meeting took place on Wednesday in Bahati's office housed in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. Codjoe who is Ghanaian was accompanied by a team from Ghana as well as Makerere University and the National Population Council.

Bahati said Uganda should take advantage of the conference and pointed out that Uganda is secure and that Government is looking forward to the meeting.

Dr. Jotham Musinguzi MD, MPH Director General, National Population Council said one of the days of the conference will be dedicated to Uganda and that they were working with Makerere University on research and presentations about Uganda.

Musinguzi said President Yoweri Museveni has changed his approach on population by advising women to produce children they can look after. Museveni has for a long time favoured a big population saying that a big population means a big market. He said Government was going to promote Museveni's approach in advocacy drives.