By Lilian Lugakingira, Bukoba

The failure to observe family planning principles has been mentioned among reasons that retarding family’s and national economies.

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church Pastor, Joseph Mugwabi said here over the weekend that family planning is an important component of the ongoing poverty eradication drive among the population.

Speaking during a seminar on Youths and Life, he said residents of Kagera Region could effectively take part in the drive by adhering to family planning principles by having a sizeable family they can manage to look after.

Mr Mugwabi said many families were plunged into abject poverty mainly due parents’ failure plan the number of children they should have.

As a result, he said, the families’ breadwinners could not afford to feed their children, prompting some of them to resort to street life.

Mr Mugwabi said experience has shown that, the majority of youths engaged themselves in crime such as theft, drug abuse and prostitution, were frustrated by their parents’ failure to look after them as a result of unplanned size of their families.

He urged youths to consider planning the number of children they intend to have after marriage depending on their income.

Mr Mugwabi expressed his optimism that adherence to family planning principles would greatly reduce the numbers of children living in vulnerable conditions as well as the vices arising from impacts of economic hardships.