The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has lamented that over 50 per cent of Sokoto population are dependants.

The fund advised the state to take necessary measures to control the trend.

Musa Muhammad-Wamako, UNFPA director of programmes in Sokoto, revealed this on Tuesday on the sideline of a two-day ‘Validation Workshop for the Integration of Demographic Dividends into the Budget Process’ in Birnin Kebbi.

The Sokoto Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning organised the workshop in collaboration with UNFPA.

Mr Muhammad-Wamako described the situation as alarming, requiring urgent attention of the Sokoto government to reverse the trend by adopting measures towards a controlled population.

The UNFPA official pointed out that population growth, not only in Sokoto but also in the North-West region, was very high.

Commenting on the workshop, the director said it was a follow-up to two others on demographic dividends in previous years, adding that after the ongoing validation, they would come up with a roadmap to facilitate sound budgetary processes.

Mr Muhammad-Wamako said the workshop wanted participants to ensure that all the remaining activities in the State Roadmap captured in the 2022 and 2023 budgets received adequate attention in the 2024 budget.

Aminu Ibrahim, the deputy clerk of the Sokoto assembly, said the demographic dividends started in Abuja with the first and second programmes in Kebbi to ensure proper planning for the state.

Mr Ibrahim, however, decried the wrong perception of many people that the Sokoto government was trying to introduce family planning.

“This is just a programme that will assist government to properly plan ahead for the good of the citizens, it has nothing to do with family planning,” the official explained.

Mr Ibrahim identified the lack of proper planning and implementation by successive governments as one of the major problems of Sokoto State and Nigeria as a whole and called for a change of attitude.

Noah Olasehinde, the programme consultant from the University of Ibadan, said the programme started two years ago with him providing the capacity support to Sokoto.

Mr Olasehinde said about 12 to 13 MDAs were brought together to build their capacity towards proper planning in budgetary processes for sound economic growth.

The consultant commended Sokoto for pioneering efforts in integrating demographic dividends into their budgetary process, saying that the state had set a commendable example for others.

(NAN)