NYAGATARE – Members of the Association of Pentecostal churches in the Eastern Province, (ADEPR- Ururembo rw’Umutara), have resolved to support the government’s family planning policy in order to control high population growth.

The Christians made the resolve on Wednesday, during the opening of a three- day workshop on reproductive health and the effects of high population growth rates, at ADEPR Nyagatare Church.

The workshop was organised by the Parliamentary Forum on Social Welfare and Community Development (RPRPD). 
In an interview, Pastor Emmanuel Rurangirwa, said the clergy have to adjust their teachings in line with current trends.

"The book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 28 says that we should produce and fill the whole world like sand at the sea.

But God said this to only Adam and Eva, Christians should not hide behind this verse. We should rather follow government’s programmes of controlling rapid population growth that is a major concern globally,” he said.   

The coordinator of the forum, the deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawukuliryayo, reiterated that Christians should support the government in population control.

Ntawukuliryayo, who is also the former Health Minister, said they want to use Christians as the conduits of the family planning campaign because they constitute the majority.

"We want to hold many workshops with religious groups who form the country’s highest number,” he said.

The Mayor, Robert Kashemeza, decried the rate of population growth in the district which he attributed to migrations.

"We receive people from other provinces seeking settlements in our district on a daily basis.

This has greatly affected us to the extent that even the recent land redistribution exercise could be re-revised,” he said.

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