‘Teenaged mothers need help’
Ghanaians have been urged to support girls who become pregnant at a tender age so that they can achieve their dreams and contribute positively to the country’s development.
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According to the Assembly Member for the Ogbojo Electoral Area in the Adentan Municipality near Accra, Mrs Gladys Addo Osei, people have lots of misgivings about teenage pregnancy and hence tend not to support girls associated with the act.
“These girls are mostly stigmatised leading them to drop out of school and also lose focus in life. They are sometimes neglected by their families, loved ones and the people who impregnated them. They, therefore, tend to go through lots of hardships. As people with strong religious affiliations, we have to be more supportive and accommodating to such young ladies,” she said.
Mrs Osei was speaking at the launch of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that focuses on empowering young ladies and community development in the Ogbojo Electoral Area.
Known as the Maralitha Care Foundation (MCF), the organisation was established by the assembly Member.
Education
Despite the call to support teenage mothers, Mrs Osei also emphasised that education on the adverse effects of being a teenaged mother must be intensified so that girls would abstain from premarital sex and see the need to wait for the right time before they indulge in such acts.
“Girls must see their own development as crucial in getting a better future. As parents, teachers, guardians and community leaders, we must continue to educate them and provide the right conditions for their growth,” she said.
Project
Mrs Osei announced that the NGO’s flagship project for this year was dubbed the “abandoned mother and child project,” which seeks to empower and support young mothers, adding, “It will encourage and empower young ladies who get pregnant while schooling to achieve their dreams.’’
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As part of the ceremony, the organisation donated four computers to four different institutions in the area.
They were the Ogbojo Presbyterian Basic School, the Ogbojo Police station, the Faith Islamic Basic School and the New Ogbojo Police station.