Girl leads call to end child marriage, drug abuse
A 15-year-old student of Walewale Girls’ Model Junior High School in the North East Region, Beatrice Laari Dammigu, has called for stronger national action to end child marriage and drug abuse among young people.
“I pray that every effort is made to end child marriage so that the future of the girls involved is protected and their dreams are saved.
“There should also be a better way of dealing with drug abuse. Those involved do not know that they are wasting away not just their youthful days, but also their adult life, which could make them become a burden on their families, communities and the nation as a whole, instead of being productive and useful,” young Laari Dammigu said.
She made the call when she symbolically took over the office of the Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare-Addo, in Accra yesterday, as part of activities marking the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
The annual event, organised by Plan International Ghana under the global Girl Takeover Campaign, aimed to provide girls with the opportunity to assume high-level leadership roles and advocate gender equality.
This year's celebration focused on ending child marriage.
Appeal
Miss Dammigu, who also serves as the Speaker of the West Mamprusi Children’s Parliament, appealed to the government to support the construction of a dedicated junior high school (JHS) and library for girls in the Walewale Municipality to improve access to quality education.
“Our only girls’ school operates on a primary school compound with inadequate infrastructure. We need a proper learning environment to ensure more girls can access education and thrive,” she said.
She further urged the minister to facilitate a meeting between the President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, and members of the Children’s Parliament to discuss challenges affecting children and young people, particularly child marriage and teenage pregnancy.
Miss Dammigu expressed gratitude to Plan International Ghana for empowering her and other girls to champion change, and to the minister for his willingness to open his office to young female leaders.
Response
Responding to the young minister, Mr Opare-Addo commended Plan International Ghana for the initiative, describing it as a demonstration of leadership in action.
He said his ministry was committed to tackling issues of youth development through five key focus areas: human resource development, health and well-being, leadership, empowerment, and civic responsibility.
The minister said drug abuse among young people was a national menace that required collective action.
He said a recent survey revealed that about 42 per cent of tertiary students in the country were abusing drugs. The findings, he said, would be highlighted to draw public attention to the problem.
He further added that drug abuse was also fuelling other national challenges, such as illegal mining and school dropouts.
On Beatrice’s appeal for a girls’ school, he pledged to engage the Minister of Education and the Walewale Municipal Chief Executive to explore the possibility of supporting the project through the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Commitment
Mr Opare-Addo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring gender parity in leadership, as policies under his ministry required a minimum of 50 per cent female participation.
“We must be deliberate and intentional about creating opportunities for young women to lead,” he said, adding that the country’s progress in female enrolment across tertiary institutions showed that the country was making efforts.
Background
The Girl Takeover Campaign is a global initiative by Plan International that allows girls to symbolically “take over” leadership positions in government, business, media, and civil society to challenge gender stereotypes and promote inclusion.
