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Funeral jams, cause of teenage pregnancy …Chief calls for ban

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●●Some girls are unable to identify the men who got them pregnant

● Some girls are unable to identify the men who got them pregnant

The Chief of Kulpieniin the Nadowli Kaleo District of the Upper West Region, NaaKunzozolomaDanlaabu I has said that funeral jams popularly known as “dance” was the cause of teenage pregnancies and promiscuity among young people in the area.

He explained that the jams mostly took place funerals in the various communities where huge speakers were mounted to amplify songs played by disc jockeys from the evening of the last day of the funeral after the mourners had left, till mid night or dawn of the next day.

He said many of the teenagers moved from one community to the other to attend such events where they danced their hearts out, mingled with the opposite sex and indulged in excessive drinking of alcohol led to sexual immorality and its concomitant pregnancies.

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The chief stated this during a meeting on Sexual and Gender-based Violence at Kpaala community in the Kulpieni Electoral Area by the Department of Gender with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

NaaDanlaabu I who was worried about the issue said there was the need to ban those jams in the area but that would need the consensus of all chiefs in the communities to ensure that it was bound in all areas to prevent the young from moving from one area to the other in search of where the dance was taking place.

“During the main funerals, we hardly see young people around but when it is time for the dance, you see them everywhere around; they even bring new people from other areas on board”, he said.

He stated that when the music began to play, the young ones behaved like they were plugged to a source of electrical power and danced till they were worn out whilst others drank liquor or smoked.

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The Chief stated that some of the teenagers had information about where the next funeral dance was taking place and moved to that area even when it was out of their jurisdiction and said they prepared adequately for such events in order to meet new partners to hook up with.

“It is not surprising, therefore, that we have so many teenage pregnancy cases in the area and some of the girls are not even able to identify the men that got them pregnant; we need to push for sexual responsibility among our youth and if it means regulating such funeral activities, we will”, he stressed.

He called for a consensus building between himself and the other chiefs on how to adequately ban funeral jams in and around the traditional area to prevent the youth from patronising the event in areas where it had not been banned.

Adding her voice, the Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Ms Charity Batuurecharged the chiefs to engage in a meaningful dialogue on the issue to know how best they could deal with the menace.

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She explained that it was necessary for the parents to protect their children, particularly females from ruffians who would impregnate them and abandon them or cause them to get married early when they were not ready.

From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Kpaala

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Justin Kodua Frimpong files nomination to seek re-election as NPP General Secretary

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General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.

He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.

Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.

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“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.

He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.

“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.

His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.

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The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.

The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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UGMC disputes Michael Blackson’s claims over late mother’s treatment

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The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.

In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.

The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.

According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.

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UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.

The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.

It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.

UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.

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The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.

The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.

Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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