The population of Bauchi State is expected to double in the next 19 years, as the state witnessed a steady growth in its population over the years.
This was contained in fact sheet released by Health Policy Plus (HP±) ahead of the launch of a comprehensive report on Resources for the Awareness of Population Impacts on Development (RAPID) model about the impact of the steady growth in the population of Bauchi State.
Health Policy Plus (HP±) is a five year cooperative agreement funded by the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID) being implemented by Palladium.
According to the report, at the current growth rate of about 3.6 per cent per year, the population of Bauchi will double in about 19 years.
It noted that projections estimate that the state’s population will grow almost four times larger by 2050 to over 26 million people.
"Bauchi’s population has increased seven fold since 1960, from about a million people to close to 6.8 million in 2015. The population of Bauchi is estimated to be close to 7.3 million.
"While the Bauchi State government recognises the need to improve access to vital resources such as education, healthcare and employment opportunities, greater investment in family planning in the state is critical to help curb the potentially negative consequences of rapid population growth," the report stated.
The report further stated that over half of Bauchi State’s population is under the age of 15 and will continue to rise as the population continues to grow, an issue it added should be considered by the government.
According to the report, the youth population will have great implications for future socio-economic development as most of the youths are unemployed.
"The large youthful population also constrain the availability and accessibility of basic health and education services. Once Bauchi youths reach working age, the number of jobs available may not match the number need," it added.
The report further observed that only 2.1 per cent of married women in Bauchi are using modern contraception method which it said is lower than the national average of 10 per cent.
"Unmet need for family planning is high in the state, as about 14 per cent of married women are in need of contraception to limit or space births and although the total fertility rate in Bauchi is 8.1 births, most women only want to have about four children," it added.
The report therefore suggested a reduction in population growth through various measures in order to reduce its socio-economic impacts in the state.
It urged all stakeholders to embrace and educate people on the need for family planning measures, adding that a reduced population growth will save education and healthcare delivery costs and provide jobs.
It further stated that if effective measures are put in place between now and 2050, about N235 billion will be saved in primary education, 7,000 fewer doctors will be needed while two million fewer jobs will be required within the period.
