DCE vows to prosecute actors involved in child marriages

The District Chief Executive for Nabdam, Agnes Namoo, has vowed that her outfit will prosecute perpetrators who are involved in the act of child-marriages in the area.

According to her, the nefarious act has tarnished the image of the district,hence must be stopped immediately to prevent any further damages.

She has therefore sent a strong signal to those involved in the act to desist or risked being jailed.

“As an assembly, we have collaborated with various traditional leaders in our communities to set laws that will punish people or parents who are involved in such activities. Yes, it is not a day wonder thing, but we will make sure that act will not see the light of day in this district” She stated.

She also added that the Nabdam Assemby has supported some girls in the district and will continue to carry out the initiative in an attempt to ensuring that the girl-child is protected and give the right to education.

“Last year on the assembly’s sensitization drive, we supported close to hundred girls with sanitary pads and educated them on personal hygiene. So, I initiative such as this will continue as I have asked the district planner, to put it on our budget as one of the initiatives the assembly will be carrying out each year” She observed.

Hon. Namoo, made these comments at a Youth Harvest Foundation project dubbed “Youth4Change” in the district that aims at ending the practices of child-marriages.

Youth4Change project is an initiative by the Youth Harvest Foundation-Ghana in five communities namely Sekoti , Pelungu, Kongo, Dasabligo and Nangod in the Nabdam District to reason with parents and opinion leaders on how they can work collectively to end the practice of child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

READ NABDAM: Assembly Members push for removal of Presiding Member for gross misconduct The initiative, according to the Project Officer, Adumoliga Abigail, started last year following an awful revelation by the Ghana Statistical Service that the Upper East and Northern Regions was leading by 28 percent in the practices of child marriage respectively as compared to the Greater Accra region with 8 percent.

Mrs.Adumoliga explained that for almost a year of the project, the foundation has faced challenges of disappointments from victims and their parents as at a point because the were not cooperating.

“It is sad that the very people we were working closely to rescue sometimes will not want to be rescued and their parents will say all manner of unkind words. Yes, it was a challenge to our organization, but in all, we were able to chalk successes in these five communities and rescued three girls back to their various schools” she bemoaned.

She however indicated that despite the challenges,her outfit is focused on working assiduously to sustain the project.