Group accuses Oyo of withholding funds for family planning

Group accuses Oyo of withholding funds for family planning

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Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi

The Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria has alleged that Oyo State Government did not remit the budgetary allocation meant for family planning to the state Ministry of Health for three years.

Programme Officer of HERFON, Mrs. Aanu Rotimi, who stated this, noted that poor funding of the family planning programme had led to the rise of maternal mortality rate in the state.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a training programme tagged ‘Budget tracing for civil society organisation on family planning budget allocation and release’ in Ibadan, Rotimi noted that despite the approval granted by Governor Abiola Ajimobi for the money, the Ministry of Finance did not release the money.

Rotimi said, “Maternal mortality rate in Oyo State increased from 135 per 100,000 live births to 143 per 100,000 within a space of one year. Family planning saves the lives of women and children by reducing unwanted pregnancy and the risk associated with unsafe abortion, thereby reducing mortality rate.

“The total allocation to the state Ministry of Health for family planning was N10m in 2012. It was the same amount in 2013 and it came down to N4m in 2014. However, none of the amount was released for the programme.”

Rotimi also warned that with declining support from donor agencies, there was the danger of poor sustainability of the initiative.

She appealed to the state government to increase the money budgeted for the programme.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Olayemisi Iyiola, said that proper planning was central to the success of programme in the state.

Iyiola also stressed the need to look beyond the government in financing the project.

PUNCH.

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