Ningo Chief bemoans high teenage pregnancy rate

Nene Kanor Attiapah II, the Acting President of Ningo Traditional Council, has warned fishermen of Ahwiam, a fishing community near Ningo, to stop impregnating school girls which has resulted in a high drop-out rate in the area.

He said he would call the police to arrest any man or youth found to have impregnated any girl of school-going age and also ensure that the families of both the victim and culprit were sanctioned.

Nene Attiapah gave the warning in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after he had met with the chiefs and elders of Ahwiam on the issue.

He expressed regret at the increasing numbers of pregnant girls of school-going age adding: 'as the Acting President of the Council I will not allow such an eye-sore to continue. It is time the youth were warned to put an end to it'.

Nene Attiapah said the fishermen lured the girls with fresh fish and ended up impregnating them adding that the problem had worsened the poverty rate and disturbing the peace of Ahwiam.

He reiterated his call on parents of the community to take good care of their children, especially the girl-child, and not allow them to roam the beaches in search of fish.

Nene Meerh III, the Chief of Ahwiam, who was at the meeting, said he had warned the people, especially the youth, on several occasions not to engage in premarital sex but that had not yielded any results.

'It is sad to see a 14-year-old girl who is supposed to be in school being pregnant or carrying a baby at her back, compelling her to drop out of school'.