By Habibu Harisu

The Community Awareness and Development Initiative (CADI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) supported by the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) on Tuesday trained 84 community groups in Sokoto State on family planning campaign.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the targeted persons comprised traditional and religious leaders, Wards Development Committee (WDC) members, Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres personnel and Monitoring and Evaluation officers.

CADI’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, said the participants were engaged in capacity building exercise to strengthen their active services on family planning and to become champions.

He said the champions were drawn from Sabon Birnin, Isa, Goronyo, Raba, Binji, Silame, Kware, Yabo, Shagari, Dange Shuni, Kebbe and Sokoto South Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.

He described the importance of family planning on enhancing population growth, demographic planning as well as improved socio-economic activities of individual families, groups and the nation at large.

He cautioned citizens against patronising quacks and traditional healers on child spacing services, stressing that modern services were available at all levels as government provided speciality and family planning services.

In his presentation, former Director, National Population Commission (NPC), Alhaji Malami Marafa-Gagi, dwelled on misconceptions, cultural beliefs and practices affecting family planning services in the society.

Marafa-Gagi traced population statistics from 1991 census up till date with trends of population growth, literacy and healthcare services in percentages across Sokoto State, Northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large.

He led the participants’ discussions on family settings historical backgrounds, availability of farmlands, occupations and the present challenges affecting populations.

Sheikh Lema Yabo, the Chief Imam of Yabo Local Government, stressed that religion allowed couples to discuss child spacing and other issues relevant to family settings and capabilities to bear children.

Yabo said family planning was part of the religious provisions with intended and targeted objectives of controlling birth.

He enjoined Scholars to educate people on the best way to access family planning and obtain clarity on misconceptions.

The District Head of Kilgori and Member, Sultanate Council, Dr Jabbi Kilgori, urged community groups to support family planning champions in the present important activity aimed at promoting proper and productive populations.

Kilgori stressed that family planning services enhanced health, wellness, education status and economic well-being of families, which had direct impacts on society’s development.

The Director, Mobilisation, Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA), Alhaji Dahiru Kamaru, said that the state government had rehabilitated healthcare facilities, ambulances, provided ultrasound machines, and motorcycles to healthcare workers.

Kamaru added that the government had also engaged specialists from teaching hospitals to enhance healthcare services.

The State Chairman, Wards Development Committee, Dr Bala Gadanga, urged the authorities to include its members in all healthcare activities, saying it would surely reduce cases of misappropriation, diversion and other fraudulent practices with healthcare provisions. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Christiana Fadare