Parliament to address population growth rate

KIGALI - The Parliament will, this week, hold an open dialogue on Rwanda’s efforts to reduce the population growth rate and how the government can intensify its campaigns against the rapid population growth. With a current growth rate of 2.7%, Rwanda’s population could double by the early 2030s if measures are not put in place to curb the growth rate. Speaking to The New Times, The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, said that there is need to revise strategies of controlling population growth otherwise the countries efforts to accelerate development would not be fruitful. “The Population growth is at 2.7percent, economic growth is at about 8 percent while the fertility rate at 5.5 with Rwandan women on average giving birth to five or six children; with these figures we can’t easily realize our efforts to development,” he said. Ntawukuriryayo added that; “this is why all stakeholders have to come together and strategize of how we can effectively control the population growth.” Figures from the United Nations indicate that, currently, Rwanda is ranked number 21 among the countries with the highest population growth. The rapid population growth in the country is currently one of the factors that make it hard for the government to effectively fight poverty and achieve its development programmes. “There some religious beliefs that contribute to the population growth and since religious leaders have big followings, we want to bring them on onboard that they lead these campaigns against population growth,” said Ntawukuriryayo. Ends

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Parliament to address population growth rate