PNG Government warned of Population boom

PORT MORESBY: If the basic services provided by the government are not in par with the country’s population growth, PNG is sitting on a time bomb, the Opposition Leader Don Polye has warned.

Mr Polye has urged the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his government to provide the services in par with the population growth to avoid any stress.

He said the country’s 3.1 per cent population growth rate was too high when compared to developed economy like New Zealand, which has only 0.88 percent growth rate with a population of about 4.6 million.

Polye added the country’s census in 2010 recorded about 7.3 million people.

“The Opposition believes that the menace that faces our country is not population growth but is the lack of prudent economic management.

“The only way to cater for the population growth is to provide adequate services and to create jobs for our people to earn an honest living,” he said when commenting on the population boom.

The population, he said, needs to be engaged in the development process to sustain their livelihood.

Polye said he feared the risks of the integral human development when the people were being deprived of services, employment and skill development among others.

Mr Polye further said the government had to grow and diversify the economy so that its growth could fuel expansion in the services provided for the population.

“Our alternative government believes that the population growth control measures are not the panacea for the lack of adequate hospitals and schools or other services overlooked by the government or other service providers.

“The government should not use population control measures as an excuse to escape its inability in providing services for the population,” said Polye.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader has called on fellow parents to have children within their affordability so that they can be well taken care of.

Mr Polye, a father himself, said in this way they could afford their children’s proper nutrition, education, health care and, other needs and wants. Press Release