Kampala — Uganda's growing population is our most important asset that should be used for increased productivity in order to achieve economic transformation for the country, President Yoweri Museveni has said.

He said Uganda's growing population is not a problem, but it is important to exploit it in order to address the country's development needs. He added that the Cabinet has adopted a revised National Population Policy for social transformation and sustainable development.

The revised policy aims at addressing population issues and the high population will be used for increased production, according to the President.

"The wealth of a nation is not in the soils and stones. It is in its people, its population. I do not agree with the alarmism over the high rate of population growth."

"What we need to do it to educate out children, give them skills and create an enabling environment for employment and job creation. That way, we shall create wealth, make savings and Ugandans will invest and spur economic productivity and growth," he added.

His speech was read by disaster preparedness minister Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere at the World Population Day celebrations on Friday. The celebrations took place at Kakyeka Stadium in Mbarara.

He said Government was investing in the population through an expanded education system. In addition to UPE and USE, the Government will expand to universal tertiary education so that children are not only equipped with knowledge, but skills to apply in the field.

"As our society becomes more middle class, the family size will shrink. That is the natural way of dealing with population, instead of keeping Africa under populated," Museveni said.

He said that if Uganda invests in turning its population into an engine for development, the country would be in the same category of development as UK and Japan, which have bigger and more affluent populations.

"Uganda has got much more natural resources than either UK or Japan. How can we fail to cope with a population of 30 million or the subsequent increases?" he asked.

However, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) deputy representative in Uganda, Hassan Mohtashami, said that it is not the size of Uganda's population, but the structure of the population that would assist the country in development.

He said the majority of Uganda's population is below the age of 18 years, while a small percentage in the working age group; and the situation would remain the same until 2025.