Efforts to fight high rate of teenage pregnancy in Ofoase Ayirebi constituency in Akyemansa District in Eastern region continue unabated.
Akyemansa district recorded the highest teenage pregnancy cases in 2021 in Eastern region but dropped to second position in 2022.
An NGO Ark Development Organization with funding from UNICEF and in collaboration with Ghana Education Service have initiated football competition dubbed “Soccer for Change” among communities and schools in the District to fight the menace.
The initiative is among various interventions under the “Safe and Protective Environment for Adolescent Development (SPREAD) Project being implemented in the community by the NGO and UNICEF to curb the teenage pregnancy menace.
The football competition is used to bring chiefs, parents, youth and teenagers together to push the awareness campaign on effect of teenage pregnancy on the health of the girl child ,her education and socio-economic progress and the community development at large.
Emmanuel Kwarfo Mintah Executive Director of Ark Development Organization, said the two year SPREAD Project embedded with “Cross Your Leg Campaign” is ending soon but hopeful the project has have positive impact reducing teenage pregnancy in the district over the period of implementation.
He said the soccer for Change competition is part of interventions to sustain the gains. Whereas some communities have also established foundation to mobilize funding to support education and skill training of the youth.
“We invited about 8 schools and the community boys and looking at the participation today it is very interesting. In all we want a change in the Akyemansa district because looking at the situation we have to do something about it as stakeholders. Looking at the impact, the cross your leg campaign has really gone down well with the students so I know that most of the will pick the message and act on that”. Emmanuel Kwarfo Minta said.
Some of the teenage girls who participated in the football competition shared their views blaming poverty and irresponsibility of parents for the alarming teenage pregnancy cases in the area.
Some said their parents fail to provide their basic needs including sanitary pads forcing them to go into sexual relationship with men particularly Okada riders for such support.
Young men in the community concurred with blame on parental irresponsibility as a major factor fueling the alarming teenage pregnancy cases.
“This program is indeed going to help reduce teenage pregnancy. Because if you are a man and you have feelings for sex you can just go to the pitch to play football. Also the seduction by some of the girls is worrying how they dress and walk attracts us to them so if we want to check teenage pregnancy that must also be checked. Again, some parents don’t take care if their teenage girls they don’t provide their basic needs like pads so if as a man I do it for her provide her food etc I have to also have sexual intercourse with her so I don’t run at a loss”.
“The teenage pregnancy situation here is indeed alarming …12, 14 year old girls are seen around pregnant. It is not fair.I was dating but I have stopped now football is everything” another said.
Project officer of Ark Development Organization David Kwaning revealed a total of 207 teenage mothers were identified from last year to first quarter of 2023, seven of whom supported and sent back to school.
He is hopeful that,by the end of the project this year, teenage pregnancy cases will further drop
Stephania Amissah Brikorang, In charge of Girl Child Education in the Akyemansa District Education Directorate said most of the abusers are Okada riders. She cited an instance where an Okada rider impregnated three students in same school.
Currently only nine (9) of the BECE candidates are pregnant in the district a marginal success attributed to the SPREAD Project.
“The rate of teenage pregnancy in our district was very high But due to this intervention the rate has reduce so we are praying that the message that we have sent across the children will inculcate so it helps them abstain to reduce teenage pregnancy and then help them in their education. Last year I had 10 BECE candidates pregnant and this year around 8 or 9. The form two students pregnant are very high about 12 in the district”. Stephania Amissah Birikorang said.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
