The contribution of the African countries to the world population growth rate is increasing than that of Europe.
In 2021, Europe’s contribution to the world population growth was -1,139,355 and Africa’s contribution was +35,655,485.
This means while Europe’s contribution to the world population growth decreased by over a million people, Africa’s contribution increased by over 35 million in 2021.
The Executive Director of the National Population Council (NPC), Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah, who made this known at a press conference to commemorate World Population Day in Accra, said Ghana’s contribution to Africa’s over 35 million people was 700, 000.
Dr Appiah said factors such as teenage pregnancies, child marriage, and the unmet need for family planning were the major contributors.
“Africa and Ghana’s high population growth rate are in part supported by high rates of teenage pregnancies, high levels of child marriage and high unmet need for family planning with its associated high social, environmental and economic costs,” she emphasized.
On measures to curtail the high population growth rate, Dr Appiah urged Ghanaian authorities to provide adequate sexual reproductive health information and services to inform people’s fertility choices as well as their wellbeing.
She also called for the need to bridge the inequality and inequity gender gaps in health, education and employment to decrease the population growth rate for sustainable development.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
