Ngoma/Rwamagana- Mayors in the Eastern Province have intensified campaigns to sensitize families to embrace family planning.

The mayors say the number of children in some families was alarming.

Nehemie Uwimana, the Mayor of Rwamagana, warned that parents who fail to give children their basic rights, including education, would be penalised.

"This is a serious situation, eight children in one family! Couples must think critically about the futility and criminality of producing children they can’t provide for,” Uwimana said.

He noted that those refusing to adopt family planning methods were condemning themselves to poverty.

Separately, Francois Ntiyotwagira, the Mayor of Ngoma district, observed that failure to plan pregnancies adversely affected the health of entire families.

The mayors blamed some religious deniminations for hampering family planning campaigns.

Jean Nipomscene, 37, a father of four, however, blamed the low use of family planning services to lack of awareness.

He suggested that trained personnel should be stationed at every village to offer family planning services.

According to officials, family planning levels are generally below average in the Eastern Province.

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