On Wednesday, the Yobe State Family Planning Media Advocacy Team held a meeting to look at what they have achieved, what challenges they are facing, and how to improve their work in the future.
The meeting was held at the Desert Multipurpose Hall, Sand Dunes Hotel, in Damaturu, along the Gujba/Maiduguri bypass.
People from The Challenge Initiative (TCI), DevComs, health workers, and religious leaders attended the meeting to talk about the state of family planning in Yobe.
Mustapha Yusuf, the chairman of the media group and a staff member at Nigerian Television Authority in Damaturu, said the meeting’s goal was to check the team’s progress and find ways to solve any problems.
He said, “We are meeting today to review our work so far, understand the challenges, and find good ways to improve.”
Yusuf said there is a need for continued public education, easier access to services, and more religious support for family planning. He mentioned that since April 2024, the group has worked hard to raise awareness about reproductive health.
He added that through radio shows, visits to communities, and special news reports, journalists have helped correct wrong beliefs and encouraged people in rural areas to accept family planning.
Yusuf Musa, the Chairman of the Yobe Family Planning Media Advocacy Team, shared that there have been success stories—many couples now talk openly about family planning, which used to be a sensitive topic.
The group thanked the Yobe State Government and partners like TCI and DevComs for giving them training, support, and other needed tools.
They also talked about their challenges. These include security problems in remote areas, lack of proper training, and the difficulty of reaching all parts of the large state (over 47,000 square kilometers) to carry out their work.
Hajiya Fatima Abba Jiddum, a deputy director at the Yobe State Primary Health Care Board, said that family planning services—both short-term and long-term—are free in all government health centres.
She explained that in the past, many women did not accept family planning, but now, more women from villages are visiting health centres to get these services.
The meeting also included talks between leaders of different religions to clear up wrong beliefs about family planning.
Pastor Samaila Jarmaya Baba’a, a Christian pastor, said the Bible does not forbid family planning. Instead, it teaches that parents must take good care of their families, which may include planning how many children to have.
Ustaz Suleiman Abubakar, the Chief Imam of Bilal Mosque in Damaturu, said Islam allows family planning for health and financial reasons. He warned against having children without being able to care for them.
Since the TCI program will end in August 2025, the advocacy team plans to work more closely with traditional and religious leaders to reduce wrong information about family planning.
The meeting ended with a strong message encouraging teamwork among media, the government, and religious groups so that all women in Yobe can get free and safe family planning services without shame or fear.
