The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to begin the implementation of its demographic dividends roadmap targeted at sustainable economic growth and development of the state.

It said that the demographic dividend road map would also help to add value to governance in terms of informed plans and programmes across the state.

The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube disclosed this yesterday, at the one-day Stakeholders’ Forum on Demographic Dividend (DD) Roadmap for key government functionaries, held in Ikeja.

Egube explained that Demographic Dividend was the accelerated economic growth generated by the decrease in mortality and fertility of a country, followed by a progressive change in the age structure of the population: the young dependent population (under 15 years) becomes shrinking relative to the population of working age.

“The dividend or demographic ‘window of opportunity’ is identified as a logical potential that can be harnessed or not by the countries during the period of demographic transition. Their use depends on several aspects such as economic, institutional conditions of state, operation of the financial sector and family behaviour, among others,” he explained.

The commissioner said Lagos State was the first state in the country that resonated with the initiatives of developing a demographic dividend roadmap by engaging a consultant, with the support of UNFPA.

Egube said the government embarked on a research to bring into the fore the benefit accruable from effective population plans, programmes and projects that could herald a new thinking in terms of population management and control through the identification and promotion of Demographic Dividends in Lagos State.

“This led to the development of a Demographic Dividend policy brief in 2017 presented to the past Executive Councils and the consequent directives that the policy brief be accommodated as part of planning machinery of the state. Thus, all MDAs are expected to be sensitised on the need to include demographic dividends into their programmes and projects in line with their ministerial mandate and existing Lagos State Development Plan,” he explained.

Consequently, Egube added that the state had produced demographic dividend guidelines in conformity with the executive council’s directives with a view to ensuring that all MDAs factored the demographic dividend opportunity into their plans, programmes and projects.

“The State had also developed a Demographic Dividend policy roadmap, validated by the respective heads of MDAs and awaiting printing and launch. The change in government leadership ad the inauguration of new Executive Councils in 2019, coupled with retirement of some permanent secretaries that were hitherto championing the entire process, has made it expedient to organise a comprehensive workshop for the current executive councils members as well as the permanent secretaries to sensitise and update them on the Demographic Dividend policy of the state as well as the necessary next line of actions to be taken towards a hitch-free implementation of the policy,” he explained further.