By Jamiu Ganiyu
The immediate past Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has expressed serious concern about the growing trend of Nigeria population, just as he advocated for adoption of birth control in order to put an end to the increasing rate of population of the country to solve many woes such as increase in poverty and other associated problems.
The former Governor of the state of the virtuous made this known while speaking in Lagos yesterday at a symposium to celebrate Golden jubilee of a chieftain of the party in Alimosho area of Lagos State, Hon. Abdulahi Ayinde Enilolobo.
While expressing concern about the relationship between the country’s growing population and the lean revenue accruing to the nation, Aregbesola said: “We don’t remember that we are poor here in Nigeria. If we have a deep thought, we ought to have a day of weeping every month.
“If we don’t work harder to improve our fortunes, we would continue to be poor. In 2017, Brazil had a population of approximately 200 million people almost about what Nigeria had. That year, Brazil had a revenue of about $600 billion and a budget of $700 billion. Nigeria in that same year made $13 billion and a budget of $23 billion. Are the two countries equal?
“Today, OPEC allowed Nigeria to extract and sell 2million barrel of crude oil per day but we don’t get that quantity. Even if we get 2million barrel per day and if the price rises to $100 per barrel, it means our income will be $200 million.
” If you divide this by 200 million people, it amounts to $1 per every Nigerian. We have to check our population by practicing birth control. If we don’t address this, we would have huge problems to deal with. We would also need every able-bodied person to work.”