Teenage pregnancy related cases on increase at Kasoa

Kasoa, C/R, Nov. 21, GNA- The Chairman of the Fa Wo Ho Bo Yesu, a Welfare Group at Kasoa, Mr. Osei Kofi , has expressed concern about the spate of teenage pregnancy cases involved children under age in the area.

He said the situation was alarming and urged stakeholders in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District and other reproductive health groups of the Ministry of Health to help tackle the canker.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview after a meeting with the members of the group at Kasoa on Monday to discuss matters affecting their welfare,

Mr Osei Kofi charged parents to desist from asking their children, especially the girl-child to undertake minor job on the streets. He expressed regret that it was sad to see young girls aged between 9 and 12 years selling ice water and other items deep in the night, a situation, he said, which contributed to early pregnancy.

He said, as a social worker, investigations he conducted showed that, the boy friends of the pregnant teenagers either bolted or refused to accept responsibility adding; "What does the future hold for these children the society.?"

Mr Osei Kofi appealed to NGOs and other organisation in the district to intervene and educate both parents and children about the dangers of the teenage pregnancy.

He urged the District Assembly and Awutu Traditional Council to enact bye-laws that could restrict children from roaming on the streets after certain period in the night.

He expressed concern about the inability on the part of the officials of the Awuitu Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to register people at Kasoa to help access quality and affordable health care. Mr Osei Kofi noted that the people, especially Fa Wo Bo Yesu Welfare Group, numbering 900, had embraced the scheme but less than half of them had been registered. He appealed to the Awutu-Effutu-senya District Assembly to construct more facilities at the schools because of the Capitation Grant, enrolment had increased at Kasoa. The Chairman asked the government to expedite action on the processing of applications for Medium and Small scale loans to help the people to expand their businesses. He commended the government for creating new Awutu-Bereku district and elevation of Winneba to a Municipality, adding that, it would help increase internally generated fund to enhance development.