Forced marriages still being practiced in Bimbilla

Afayili (N/R), June 8, GNA - Some teachers in the Afayili Primary School have said forced marriages were still being practiced in some parts of the area despite attempts to curb it. They said they had intervened in several instances to free some of the girls being forced into marriages.

The teachers said these girls are minors in primary schools adding tha= t some parents were still not perturbed and still go ahead with the practice. Mr. Sulemana Osman, the Assistant Headmaster of the school, called for steps to be taken by law enforcement agencies to to halt the practice. The teachers raised the concern when ActionAid Ghana and Songtaba, non-governmental organisation, visited the area as part of their programme "stop violence against girls in school" which aimed at increasing enrol= ment of girls in school and making school environment motivating to retain them in school. Mr. Osman said interventions made by the NGOs had created more awareness, improved enrolment especially for the girl-child but appealed fo= r a borehole for the school.

Madam Gifty Baka, National Project Manager for Stop Violence Against Girls in School (SVAGS) of ActionAid, said the project had formed child protection networks and girls' clubs in the 13 communities that it was operating in and had deepened consciousness among school pupils.