I think it is time for the state to take the problem of our rising population seriously and adopt some precautionary measures. The problem poses a serious threat to our socio-economic plans.

Population growth in the Kingdom is among the highest in the world — approximately 4 percent. This is a time bomb, and when it goes off it will have catastrophic consequences over the next 10 years. Our financial and material resources cannot cope with the magnitude of the problem.

We have already started witnessing some of the adverse effects in the form of economic and social bottlenecks that manifest themselves in successive budget deficits, dilapidated infrastructure and public services, overcrowded schools and not enough places to accommodate the ever-rising numbers of students. In short, all our economic and social problems are the direct result of this population explosion.

What we should do right now is try to slow the increase and bring it down to a reasonable rate of 2 or 2.5 percent to be able to expand and enhance public services and accommodate the newcomers.

We encourage marriage and urge young people to marry early. While doing this we must educate them on birth control. God has ordered us not to throw ourselves into danger, and there is none greater than the increased numbers of youth without work, patients unable to find treatment and children who cannot find a place at school or university.

All development plans have so far dodged a solution. A recent statistics by the Ministry of Planning has revealed the gravity of the situation; 55 new babies born every hour, 52 percent of them males. Riyadh has the highest rate with 12.6 children born every hour, or 110,000 annually. Makkah comes next, with a birth rate of 105,000 children annually.

Another study, by the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), has shown that the increase in the birth rate over the coming three years will be 3 percent and that by the year 2013 the population of Riyadh will soar to eight million. This is a frightening increase. It has to be checked, otherwise we are headed for a disaster.

The public must be advised, educated, encouraged or even obliged to observe birth control so that families have no more than two children. Only then will our children have a better life and education.