By: Seraphine Nyuiemedi
The District Chief Executive for North Dayi, Edmund Attah Kudjoh has encouraged members of the North Dayi Queen Mother’s Association to be proactive in the fight against teenage pregnancy in the district.
He said it is their responsibility as Queens and mothers to safeguard the future of the girl child in their various traditional areas, hence the need for them to help combat the menace.
Mr Kudzo Attah was speaking at the inauguration of the North Dayi Queen Mother’s Association at Anfoega in the Volta Region.
The North Dayi Queen Mother’s Association was formed in the year 2019. It currently, has a membership of about 50 queens from the nine Traditional areas in the North Dayi District.
Mr Kudzo Attah urged the queen mothers to become ambassadors to curb teenage pregnancy in the North Dayi District.
“Article 271 of the 1992 Constitution is clear and has given you backing as queens. The critical roles that you play for the survival of our culture, for the development of our communities cannot be underestimated, more importantly today, for the development of the girl child. And so I’m charging you today to become ambassadors on girl child education, to be ambassadors on reduction of teenage pregnancy in our communities. To be advocates for government policies and programmes. You have major roles to play and we want you to do those things for us to develop and survive”.
The Human Resource Manager of the North Dayi Education Directorate, Bennet Kakah bemoaned the increasing rate of teenage mothers in various schools in the area.
He advised girls to abstain from premarital sex to avoid pregnancy, despite government’s back to school policy, which is to ensure that teenage mothers complete school. He also urged them to focus on their education to become responsible adults in future.
Mr Kakah disclosed that the District performed poorly in the recent Basic Education Certificate Exams placing 17th out of the 18 Districts and Municipalities of the Volta Region.
He therefore, called on the North Dayi Queen Mother’s Association to collaborate with the District Education Directorate and its stakeholders to change the trend.
The President of the North Dayi Queen Mother’s Association, Mamaga Asantewa said the aim of the Association is to assist teenagers through skill training, education on personal hygiene, guide them on the benefits of education among others for their development.
She appealed for a vehicle to enable the Association carry out its activities with ease.
The Member of Parliament for Kpando, Della Sowah who on behalf of the Member of Parliament for North Dayi, Joycelyn Tetteh graced the occasion gave the assurance that her office will assist in their request for a vehicle.