Bauchi committed to ensure accurate demographics in Nigeria

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has expressed the state government’s commitment in ensuring accurate demographics in the country.

Mohammed stated this during a one day sensitisation and capacity building workshop on demographic dividend for Commissioners, Head of Agencies and Traditional Leaders organised by the state Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination.

Represented by Mr Aminu Hammayo, the Secretary to the State Government, Mohammed explained that the state has been taking a great stride to key into the road map on harnessing demographic in Nigeria.

This, he said, was to strategically highlight critical demographic trends and invest in policies that promote reproductive health, education, employment and entrepreneurship, governance and youth participation.

According to him, this is in line with the 2030 agenda for achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which depended on the availability of vital data on population and gender at all levels to identify strategic approach and priorities in designing interventions for measuring progress towards harnessing the dividends of the youthful population.

The governor, who said that the workshop was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), appreciated the fund for their commitment to the partnership with the State since he reached out to the Resident Representative in 2022.

“They did not only respond but have remained consistent, their indefatigable efforts to ensuring women and young people are empowered to live life to the fullest is commendable and appreciated.

“Our government is committed to working closely with development partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure multisectoral partnership in harnessing the potential of its vibrant youthful population.

“I urge all heads of agencies, traditional leaders, private sector, academia and all relevant stakeholders to commit to this event to intensify accountability through evidence-based programming towards harnessing the demographic dividend of Bauchi state,” he said.

Also, Hajiya Amina Katagum, the state Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, said the state was deliberate in its programme towards harnessing its demographic dividend.

She explained that it was the ministry's mandate to ensure that interventions conducted by respective MDAs translates to an overall development of Bauchi Population, in line with the National Road Map and the governors development plan.

Earlier, Deborah Tabara, representative of UNFPA, said since the rollout of the roadmap to harness demographic dividend through investments in young people in 2017, UNFPA has been carrying out advocacies.

She added that these advocacies were to strengthen national and sub-national capacities for programming to accelerate the harnessing of demographic dividend for sustainable development.

“So far, eight states have customized the roadmap for harnessing their

demographic dividend.

“We are excited that Bauchi State has also keyed into this initiative since 2023 when we had a similar meeting like this with MDAS,” she said.