Tamale (N/R), Dec. 9, GNA – The steady increase in population has led to pressures on natural resources in the Northern Region, Mr Abu Iddrisu, Regional Manager of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.

Speaking at a quarterly Regional Population Advisory Committee (RPAC) meeting in Tamale on Friday, Mr Iddrisu said the pressures on the resources had resulted in persistent degradation of the environment.

The meeting was organized by the N/R Office of the National Population Council and attended by heads of departments to discuss pertinent population challenges in the Region and chart the way-forward for their management.

Some of the departments include the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), EPA, National Youth Authority, and NGOs such as United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Integrated Social Development Center and Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana.

He mentioned bush burning, felling of trees from forest reserves and plantations as some of the forms of degradation of the environment in the Region.

He, therefore, called for measures to ensure that population management issues took into consideration issues of environmental management to protect the environment.

Chief Alhassan Issahaku Amadu, Northern Regional Population Officer, called for proper repositioning of family planning to enhance effective contraceptive use in the Region.

The population of the Region has been on the increase in the three censuses held in 1984, 2000 and 2010, increasing from 1,164,583 to 1,820,806 and to 2,468,557 in that order.

The percentage increase between 2000 and 2010 census is 35.6, which is the highest in the country.

Chief Alhassan called for the integration of population and development variables into Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and sector agency development and action plans.

Mr Thomas Azure, Northern Regional Statistician, said the GSS was awaiting the resolution of boundary disputes to enable it to release District level population figures for 2010.

Presenting an overview, Mr Issifu Seidu Iddi, Assitant Northern Regional Population Officer, called for the refocusing of attention on serious male involvement and sustained education for the girl child in the Region.