ASK, PPAG holds achievements workshop

The Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) and Access, Services and Knowledge (ASK) has held a workshop to share information on achievements made with the implementation of the ASK project.

The ASK project, which started almost three years ago, is to reduce the sexuality of young people between the ages of 10 to 24 years and the number of teenage pregnancies and abortions recorded in the country.

Mr Kenneth Danuo, National Project Coordinator-ASK, said the initiative was to better inform the youth on the right choices to make and increase access to contraceptives to enable young people control their sexual lives.

He said the initiative undertaken through the formation of the Sexuality and Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance for Young People, is to bring all associate bodies on board to help curtail the situation.

He said the project has so far empowered 172,000 young people; made available 1,768,879 contraceptive commodities; and have created a comprehensive sexual education platforms for young Ghanaians in their school curriculum.

Mrs Catherine Nutsugah-Mikado, Director of Girls Education Unit, Ghana Education Service, said teenage pregnancy has become a social canker because parents especially fathers have neglected their duties which has led to the increase of teenage pregnancies.

She said these days when one listens to the news, all one hears is about the irresponsible attitude of the youth which is a big challenge as a developing country.

Ms Esther Cofie, Ag Director, Technical Services National Population Council, said a key proportion of young people in the country constitute about 32 per cent of the population.

She said regarding the significant proportion not only in numerical terms but their contributions to the socio-economic development of the country, government has committed itself to improving the total development of young people in various ways.

Ms Cofie said the National Population Council has developed the 2000 Adolescent Reproductive health Policy that focuses on the sexual and reproductive health needs of adolescents.

Ms Mercy Amokwandoh, a representative of Hope for Future Generations and member of the Alliance, said the project since it was embarked on has recorded zero pregnancy cases in five basic schools namely Breman Ayipey D/A, Sowtoum D/A, Kokoso Cattotie Basic School, Amanbetso and Bisease Schools in the Central Region.

She said these schools used to record pregnancy cases yearly but due to the ASK project these five schools did not record any pregnancy case in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination.

“This, coupled with the free provisions of adolescent reproductive commodities such as male and female condoms, family planning pills and emergency contraceptives and counseling, cases of teenage pregnancies and abortions have reduced considerably”, she said.

Ms Marijke Priester, Northern Allaince Manager, congratulated the NGOs for coming together with multiple sources to ensure the safety of young people in the country.

She said a comprehensive sexual education is important since it helps the youth to take decisions that are of benefit to them.

Mr Ger Steenbergen, representative of the Dutch Ambassador, said though the project is on short term, the NGOs need to provide a voice for these voiceless in communities to ensure their safety adding "these are the people we need to focus on because they are the hope for the future.

The ASK project is being funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and being implemented in some vulnerable communities across the country with a coalition of Ghanaian local NGOs.

Among its aims is to build young people’s individual capacity to make safe choices, to make Sexual and Reproductive Health services better adapted to young people’s individual needs and to strengthen the linkages between information and service provision.