Leaders and Members of the Queen Mothers Foundation of Ghana have indicated that teenage pregnancy has reduced drastically since Akufo-Addo assumed office in 2017.
According to them, the Free SHS introduced by the Akufo-Addo led administration has reduced the menace.
Addressing a ceremony at the La Palm beach hotel to celebrate the 21st anniversary since the formation of the Queen Mothers Foundation of Ghana, President of the Foundation Nana Ama Serwaa said Free SHS has reduced teenage pregnancy in the country
“The issue of teenage pregnancy which had become a thorn in the flesh of the nation has drastically gone down since President Akufo-Addo took office and introduced Free SHS because all the girls are going to school now. The work is however not done yet, it is now time to tackle indiscipline in our society''.
She noted that Queen Mothers over the years have been involved in various activities such as fighting teenage pregnancy, prison visitation, hand washing sensitization, amongst others but the foundation has decided to turn its attention to fighting indiscipline in the country
“Indiscipline has taken over our nation to the extent that even children have the audacity to insult adults contrary to what use to exist in the past. We are determined to take indiscipline on fully†Nana Ama Serwaa said.
The Minister for Women, Children, Gender and Social Protection, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, in a brief remark at the ceremony, cautioned the Queen mothers of Ghana to note that the fight to secure the moral lives of the children of Ghana has not been won yet.
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“One gentleman told me that he went to a community and they said the young girls are not getting pregnant so they were applauding the Queen Mothers for doing a good job. They asked the young girls why are you not getting pregnant, and the young girl said because we use condoms. What does that mean? It means we are not really teaching them, they are rather using condoms. It is good to protect the child but let’s teach them to abstain†the Women, Children and Social Protection Minister stated.
President Akufo-Addo who was the Special Guest of Honour at the anniversary celebration in his address indicated that the institution of Queen Mothers is a very important one that needs to be supported constantly.
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The President charged the Queen Mothers to ensure that all young girls in their communities take advantage of the education drive of his administration in order to educate themselves.
“Even though the access is there and the doors have been opened, there is a lot of our children who are still not going to school. I want to give you that responsibility Queen Mothers of Ghana to make sure that every girl child in Ghana has access to education right up to the secondary level†President Akufo-Addo indicated.
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