New population council sets core priorities

By Pascal Kwesiga

THE newly inaugurated National Population Council (NPC) has identified five issues Uganda should tackle urgently to achieve its development goal of becoming a middle class income by 2040.

The ministry of finance, planning and economic development on Tuesday launched the council following the enactment of the NPC Act, 2014 by Parliament.

The state minister for finance (planning), David Bahati, presided over the inaugural ceremony at the finance ministry in Kampala.

Prof. Fred Bwire Mangen, the executive director at the regional centre for quality health care at Makerere University and Prof. Maurine Florence Mirembe, of Uganda Christian University will serve as NPC's chair and vice chair.

Other members include Fabian Byomuhangi, Dr. Abdul Busuulwa (National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda), Keith Muhakanizi (finance ministry), Imelda Musana (Uganda Bureau of Statistics), John Ssekamatte (National Planning Authority) and Dr. Alex Mugisha (National Council for Higher Education).

Others are Josephine Ekwang (Immigration and Citizenship Board), Abubaker Ntambi (Equal Opportunities Commission), Prof. Anthony Mbonye (Health ministry) and Jill Barungi (Civil Society Organizations).

The members, who were appointed by the president on recommendation by the finance minister, will serve for a term of five years.

Mangen said reducing the fertility rate (6.2 babies for female) and high mortality, high proportion of young people, increasing productivity and reducing dependency of the young people, investment in education, health, economic reforms to create quality jobs are among the issues NPC would like to assist Government to tackle urgently.

Others, according to him, will be scaling up efficiency and accountability in service delivery.

"From our understanding of population issues, these are the real issues that need urgent attention if we really want to become a middle class country. These are the issues countries have pursued to reach that level," he added.

Uganda's population, which currently stands at 34.9 million people, is growing at 3.03% per annum. The population increased by over 10 million people, from 24.2 million persons in 2002 to 34.9 million in 2014. Over 22 million Ugandans are below 35 years of age since the country had 12 million persons in 1980.

Uganda's young population, Mangen explained can be converted into a valuable asset for achieving socioeconomic transformation.

"With more young people in the labour force and fewer dependents, a country can exploit this window of opportunity for rapid economic growth if the right social and economic investments and policies are made," he added.

Effective policies in education, health, governance as well as proper macroeconomic strategies, he added, enabled the Asian countries to harness a sizable demographic dividend and propelled them to middle income status.

One of the challenges the country is grappling with, Bahati noted is the ballooning number of youth who need better education, health services and jobs if Uganda is to consolidate its economic progress.

He cited Vision 2040 and National Development Plan II as vehicles for addressing the current and future population challenges.

"Population matters need to be discussed. As Government, we expect the council to give us guidance and oversight regarding Uganda's road map to attainment of the demographic dividend," Bahati said.