Hot!
‘Involve religious leaders in tackling teenage pregnancy’
● Mrs. Monica Mensah
Mrs. Monica Mensah, women empowerment advocate, is calling on stakeholders and policy makers including religious leaders across the country to help prevent teenage pregnancies.
According to her, ‘the nation cannot address challenges of teenage pregnancy in the communities without the support of religious leaders to sensitise the girl-child to the dangers associated with teenage pregnancies.
She said these in an interaction withThe Spectator about the risks involved in teenage pregnancy and the need for the girl-child to be empowered to attain their future aspirations.
“It is without doubt that, teenage pregnancy is taking its toll on us with unimaginable consequences and poses a threat to the development of the nation because the repercussions of teenage pregnancies puts pressure on the national budget”, Mrs Mensah said.
Mrs. Mensah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Overcomers Catering School at Ablekuma-Fanmilk, Accra, underscored the need for all to get involved in addressing teenage pregnancy because it increased poverty levels in the country.
“Teen parents and their children are less likely to complete high school and more likely to live in abject poverty, teen mothers are more likely to have low birth weight babies who risk lifelong developmental and health problems all of which may prove to be very costly for families, communities and nations”, she indicated.
She added that, tackling teenage pregnancies would not only reduce high population growth rate, but make it easier for families and nations to invest in quality human capital through good nutrition, health, and better education for the benefit of all.
She stressed that practices that did not conform to the well-being of any girl or woman amounted to abuse and an infringement to their fundamental human rights.
Touching on witch camps in some parts of Ghana, the Gender Advocate condemned the act, classifying it as a cruel phenomenon.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
Parliament has confirmed that the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Kwame Ohene Frimpong, has been detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In a statement signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Parliament said the incident had been brought to the attention of the House leadership.
According to the statement, the Speaker of Parliament and the leadership of the House are currently in contact with Ghana’s Mission in The Hague to gather detailed information about the matter.
Parliament, however, did not disclose the reasons behind the MP’s detention.
“The public will be duly informed appropriately on this matter,” the statement added.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
