POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Definition of Concepts
Population refers to the total number of people living in a particular place over a period of time. It may also be defined as the total number of people living or residing in a geographical area over a period of time.
Population growth refers to the speedy increase or decrease of people living in a particular place over a long period of time.
Population growth rate refers to a percentage increase or decrease of a country’s population over a given period of time. It can be positive, negative or zero growth.
Components of Population Growth
The main components or elements of population growth are birth rate, fertility rate, death rate or mortality rate and migration.
Birth rate: refers to the total number of live births per thousand of a population in a given year. It is also known as the crude birth rate (CBR).
Fertility rate: refers to the average number of children born to mothers within a period of time. In general, women are capable of child bearing from the onset of menstruation to menopause. The period of consideration is between 15 and 49 years.
Death or mortality rate: refers to the number of deaths per thousand of a population in a given year. The death rate also varies with the level of a country’s development.
Migration: migration is usually defined as the movement of people from one geographical area to another. It is thus, the movement of people across significant boundaries for the purpose permanent settlement.
OTHER TERMS OR CONCEPTS USED IN POPULATION STUDIES
Demography: this refers to the scientific study of population. Those who study population scientifically are called demographers
Population density: refers to a group of people occupying a given land surface, usually a square kilometer within a certain period of time.
Dependency ratio or burden: refers to the proportion of the unproductive group of the population as against the productive group. That is, the number of unproductive or inactive population who may depend on the active or productive population for support.
Age structure: it refers to the grouping of people according to age ranges
Sex structure: refers to the grouping of people according to their sex, that is, male or female
Under population: it is a type of population in which the people in the country are too small to effectively utilize the available resources to produce optimum output.
Over population: it is the type of population in which the population of a country is too large to effectively utilize the resources available to produce optimum output. Togo is an example.
THE STRUCTURE OF GHANA’S POPULATION
The population structure of Ghana shows a pyramid of a developing country. The base represents the number of children. It is broad because 45% of the population were under the age of 15 years. The pyramid gradually narrows to the top implying a smaller percentage of old people. Only 4% were above age 65. The remaining 51% ranged from the ages 15-64. Another thing about Ghana’s population is that the proportion of females are more than the males. The 2010 population and housing census result indicated that the total female population was 50.5% while that of the male was 49.5%. This structure of the population is hence described as youthful. This implies that there a high dependency ratio or burden.
Characteristics of Ghana’s population structure
i. The age structure of the population has:
- 4% of the people are above 65 years and are classified as unproductive group
- 51% of the people (youth) from 15 years to 64 years form the labour force/ productive group
- The remaining people are below 15 years and represent 45% of the population. They are classified as dependency or unproductive group.
ii. The structure is classified as youthful population as the majority (51%) of the population are the youth.
iii. There is dependency burden representing 49%, that is, 4% plus 45%
iv. There is low saving capacity of people as a result of the high dependency burden.
v. The sex structure shows that there are more females than males.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF GHANA’S POPULATION STRUCTURE
High dependency ratio or burden
High rate of unemployment
High population growth
Environmental degradation
Pressure on social amenities
Low level of investment
Low savings
Low living standard
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF HIGH POPULATION GROWTH IN GHANA AND THE MEASURES OF CONTROLLING HIGH POPULATION GROWTH
CAUSES OF HIGH POPULATION GROWTH IN GHANA (HOW DOES RAPID POPULATION GROWTH OCCUR?)
There are several factors accounting for the rapid growth of Ghana’s population. Among them are as follows:
1. Early marriage and teenage pregnancy
2. Inadequate family planning practices
3. Preference for a particular sex
4. Cultural beliefs and practices
5. Low level of education or high rate of illiteracy
6. Polygyny
7. Provision of good medical services
8. Ineffective enforcement of immigration laws.
9. High fertility rate
10. Relatively lower death rate
11. Religious practices
EFFECTS OF HIGH POPULATION GROWTH IN GHANA
The effects of rapid population growth may be either positive or negative.
Negative effects of population growth:
Positive effects of population growth:
1. Increase in labour force
2. Wider market
3. Increase in tax revenue
MEASURES FOR BREAKING THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF RAPID POPULATION IN GHANA (measures to control population growth
VICIOUS CYCLE OF RAPID POPULATION IN GHANA
It shows the effects of the population growth.
It is a series of negative activities or events
Negative effects of population increases
- Rapid population growth
- High dependency burden
- Low income
- Low savings and investments
- Low standard of living or poverty
Measures to control population growth
1. Public education
2. Provision of sex education
3. Discouraging early marriages
4. Provision of family planning services
5. Encouraging female education
6. Providing incentives for small family size
7. Appropriate government policies.
8. Enforcement of immigration laws
POPULATION POLICY OF GHANA AND POPULATION CENSUS
Population policy is a deliberate programme or plan to influence the population growth in a country
POPULATION POLICY OF GHANA
Rationale
To affirm the commitment of the Government of Ghana to population issues. National Population Policy was adopted in 1969.
Goal
To achieve and maintain a level of population growth which is consistent with national development objectives.
To improve the quality of life of the populace (people).
Objectives
To integrate population issues into all aspects of the development planning process
To reduce the high levels of morbidity and mortality.
To ensure accessibility to, and affordability of, family planning means and services for all couples and individuals to enable them regulate their fertility.
To educate the youth on population matters which directly affect them such as sexual relationship, fertility regulations, adolescent health, marriage and child bearing, in order to guide them towards responsible parenthood and small family size
To educate the population about the causes, consequences and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
To promote sound social welfare programmes that would take care of special needs of the youth, the aged, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
To enhance women’s rights and status within the society
To educate the population on environmental conversation
To ensure that the Law Reform Commission, Parliament and other law-making agencies are well sensitized on population issues so that the law will serve as an effective instrument for promoting the objectives of the Population Policy.
POPULATION POLICY STRATEGIES
The Population Policy strategy was centered on the following important pillars.
1. Maternal and Child Health Care (MCH)
2. Family planning and fertility regulation
3. Education
4. Empowerment of women and child health care
5. The aged and persons with disabilities
6. Poverty reduction
7. Institutional framework
8. Training and institutional capacity building. Etc
EFFORTS MADE TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1994 POPULATION POLICY
Make a brief note on this.
Achievement of the 1994 Population Policy
The use of local languages in public education
Mobile film unit and advert
Promotion of traditional media
Development of information networks and data bank
THE NATIONAL POPULATION COUNCIL
The National Population Council is the highest statutory institution established by the government to advise it on population and related issues.
The Council is composed of the following members:
A Chairman
A Vice-Chairman
Representative from National Council on Women and Development (N.C.W.D)
Representative from National Association of Farmers and Fishermen
Representative from National Development Planning Commission ( N.D.P.C)
Representative from the Ministry of Finance
Representative from the Ministry of Health
Representative from the Trades Union Congress
Representative from the Ghana Statistical Service
Representative from the Medical Association
Representative from the National House of Chiefs
Three persons representing NGOs registered in Ghana
Eight other citizens, at least three of whom shall be women.
FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL POPULATION COUNCIL
Make short notes on this.
POPULATION CENSUS
It is the official counting of all persons physically present in a country at a specified time. It involves the collection, compilation, evaluation, analysis and publication of demographic, social and economic statistics relating to a population. It is conducted every ten (10) years in Ghana.
BENEFITS OF POPULATION CENSUS
1. It helps to determine the population growth rate
2. It helps determine the accurate statistics of the number of people living in the country.
3. It helps for administrative purposes
4. It helps for distribution of national resources
5. For taxation purpose
6. It helps for business and other investment planning
7. It helps the government to structure foreign policy
8. It helps for electoral purposes
PROBLEMS OF POPULATION CENSUS IN GHANA
1. Lack of adequate funds
2. Poor transportation network in some parts of the country
3. Bad attitudes of some census officials
4. High rate of illiteracy
5. Influence of politicians
6. Cultural or traditional beliefs.
RURAL – URBAN MIGRATION
Rural-urban migration is the movement of people especially the youth from the rural areas to settle in urban centres such as towns and cities. This type of migration is the commonest form of migration in developing countries such as Ghana.
CAUSES OF RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION IN GHANA
Rural –urban migration in Ghana is influenced by many factors. Some of these factors causing rural –urban migration are as follows:
1. Pursuit of higher education or quality educational opportunities in the urban centres
2. Better employment opportunities in the urban areas
3. The desire of the educated to live in the city.
4. Better recreational facilities
5. To flee from socio-cultural practices
6. Improved and better social amenities in the urban areas
7. Absence of traditional control in the urban areas.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION
1. Pressure on employment opportunities in the urban centres
2. High cost of living in the cities
3. Increases social vices
4. Increases government expenditure in the cities
5. It creates undue pressure on social infrastructures in the cities
6. It creates housing problem in the cities
7. Low production in the rural areas
8. Provision of cheap labour in the urban areas
9. Low rate of industrialisation in the rural areas
10. It create high cost of farm labour
11. It breaks family union or cohesion in the rural areas
12. Loss of human resources in the rural areas
13. It leads to growing of slums and squatters in the urban areas.
14. It creates congestion and overcrowding in the urban centres.
15. It leads to growing of environmental pollution in the cities.
16. Decreases the market base in the rural areas
POSITIVE EFFECTS OF RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION
1. Improvement in rural infrastructure.
2. Provision of leadership for rural communities
3. Provision of financial support to family members
4. Conservation of environment in rural communities
5. Provision of wider market at the urban centres
MEASURES TO CONTROL RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION
1. Provision of social amenities in the rural areas
2. Provision of infrastructure in the rural areas
3. Improvement in agricultural activities
4. Establishment of industries in the rural areas.
URBANIZATION
It refers to a process whereby an increasing proportion of a country’s population become concentrated in large towns and cities. It is simply the process which brings people into cities. Urbanization is a process and it is usually associated with industrialization, modernization and development.
Causes of urbanization
1. Rural-urban migration
2. Refugee movement
Advantages (good side) of urbanization
1. Helps in the social integration of the people in the country
2. It helps to enrich people with experience, skill acquisition and better connections to enhance personal development
3. Its helps people who are fortunate to get lucrative jobs to support their family.
4. It helps people to acquire better vocational, and technical skills.
Disadvantages (bad side) of urbanization
1. Low production in the rural areas
2. Under development in the rural community
3. It breaks family union or cohesion in the rural areas
4. Loss of human resources in the rural areas
5. High rate of unemployment
6. Congestion on the roads
7. Accommodation problems
8. It put pressure on social amenities
THE CONCEPT OF FAMILY PLANNING
It is conscious practice by married couples and individuals to control the timing and the spacing of the birth of their children to attain the desired number they can cater with the resources available to them as well as the health of the woman and the children.
METHODS OF FAMILY PLANNING OR BIRTH CONTROL
Family planning are grouped into two natural and artificial methods.
NATURAL METHOD OR TRADITIONAL FAMILY PLANNING METHODS
1. Withdrawal method ( pull out)
2. The rhythm method or calendar tracking
3. Breast feeding method
4. Basal body temperature
5. Cervical mucus
ARTIFICIAL OR MODERN FAMILY PLANNING METHODS
This is where the couple resorts to the use of materials and drugs to prevent conception. That is, to prevent the sperm from meeting the ovum. Among the artificial methods are the following:
1. Condoms
2. Spermicidal creams
3. Diaphragm
4. Contraceptive pills
5. Intra-Uterine Device (IUD)
6. Vasectomy (permanent procedure for men)
7. Tubal ligation (permanent procedure for women)
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY PLANNING
To the individual
1. The mother can recover her health before the next pregnancy
2. Helps to attain sizable family
3. Enhances quality upbringing of children
4. Minimizes untimely pregnancy and its pressures
5. Enhances good planning towards the future
6. It reduces burden on the individuals
To the nation
1. Reduction in population growth.
2. Minimizes over burden on government
3. It enhances infrastructural development in a country
4. It reduces pressure on facilities in the country
5. It helps to reduce the undue pressure on the environment.
6. It minimizes social vices in a country
7. It helps a nation to achieve its development goals.
8. Reduction in unemployment
9. It helps reduce the pressure on social amenities.
FACTORS THAT HAMPER FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMMES IN GHANA (factors which account for the low patronage of family planning practices)
1. Religious beliefs
2. Cultural influences or cultural attitudes of the people.
3. Poverty
4. Illiteracy and ignorance
5. Fear of health complications
6. Desire a for particular sex
7. Social prestige attached to having many children.
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