Rugunda: “Children should be born by choice not by chance”

Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has called upon Ugandans to give birth to a minimum number of children, to enable families and government avail them with the necessary social amenities.

Premier Rugunda made the remarks, while officiating at the launch of the National Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Roadmap, at Presidents office Conference Hall, in Kampala on Tuesday.

“We should empower families to understand that; its choice and affordability of raising children that matters”, he said.

Rugunda in addition, revealed that population growth is attributed to the fact that infant mortality rate has drastically dropped, compared to previous years because of government’s effort to ensure child survival.

“Chances of child survival are high today, which is why we should give birth to children we are able to educate and bring up as responsible citizens”, he said.

He said Uganda’s SDGs agenda 2030, requires additional financial resources from development partners; to support in the areas of education and investments, to increase domestic resources.

United Nations (UNDP) Resident Representative Rosa Malango said poverty is not inevitable. “By agreeing with SDGs agenda 2030, we can end poverty, hunger and malnutrition in children”, she said.

She called upon Government, Civil society organisations and the development partners to use available resources to achieve the 17 SDGs in Uganda.

Patrick Bitature, the chairman, Private Sector Foundation Uganda, reminded participants of the role of the private sector in stimulating economic growth.

“The Private sector is not about making profits, as many people tend to believe. Private sector provides employment to a big section of the community and contributes to economic growth”, he said.

He called upon development partners to support industrialisation, for economic growth.

Civil Society representative, Patricia Munabi, said more work is required to ensure SDGs are implemented. “Budget alignment to SDGs is still low at 61 per cent, where National Development Plan (NDP) II remains with challenges”, she said.