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Sumaye: Practice family planning for economic development
2005-10-08 07:35:35
By Pacifique Nkeshimana
Monogamous marriages and family planning, where couples have up to three children is the way forward to achieve sustainable economic development, the Prime Minister Frederic Sumaye, has said.
Officiating at the launch of a book about a family planning organisation in Dar es Salaam, he said tangible economic development even at household level was difficult to achieve without practicing family planning.
The premier launched Chama Cha Uzazi na Malezi Bora Tanzania (UMATI)’s book titled ’Umati Story from family planning to sexual and reproductive health’.
The organisation used the chance to launch its Strategic plan for 2005-2009.
Sumaye said Tanzania’s population was increasing drastically.
’This has a negative impact on development,’ he said.
The 2002 people and households census showed that half of the populations are children, he said.
’The productive taskforce is not sufficient as only few people are working for a huge number of children and other vulnerable people, including the elders whose living depends on the work done by the few adult people,’ he said.
Sumaye said family planning would help alleviate poverty at the family level.
’Only three children policy is the best ….or at most four children in the case of an accident,’ Sumaye said.
The Prime Minister said polygamy was one of the factors that hinder achieving sustainable development.
’ Having many wives is a problem. It is obvious many wives will bear many children and these children will be a burden to attaining economic development in the family level,’ he stressed.
Commending UMATI, he said the NGO was one of the oldest NGOs in the country.
’Today UMATI has published a book about its life and work in Tanzania. The book is history, is knowledge, is heredity, is a bridge to the future which we cannot afford to lose,’ he said .
Earlier, UMATI Executive Director, Walter Mbunda, said the idea of writing the book was mooted in 1998.
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