News
Iseguri Initiative sensitises students, residents of Yadzo on teenage pregnancy
Residents of Yadzo at the event
Iseguri Initiative, a Kadjebi-based non-governmental organisation, has engaged residents and students of Yadzo D/A Junior High School, especially young girls, on the effects of teenage pregnancy.
The advocacy seeks to end teenage pregnancy in cocoa growing communities in the Kadjebi District.
Speaking at the programme at Yadzo, a farming community in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, Mr Raymond Senanu Buami, Project Coordinator, Iseguri
Initiative, said teenage pregnancy according to statistics from health facilities in the district is on the ascendancy, hence the engagement to educate the residents on the act.
He said the effects of teenage pregnancy could be quite devastating and that it could have health risks, emotional, social and financial consequences on the victims.
The Project Co-ordinator said Ahamansu, Dodi-Papase, Kponkpa, Todome, Asato, Gyamonome, among other communities in the Kadjebi District would benefit from the project.
Mr Buami advised parents to take good care of their children, especially the girl-child for their future benefit.
Mr Ngyebekye Nardi Kofi, in-charge of the Radiology Unit at the St. Mary Theresa Catholic Hospital, Dodi-Papase, advised mothers to desist from giving concoctions to their pregnant girls to abort their pregnancies.
He said the act was illegal and had devastating and even life-threating effects on the girls. Mr Ngyebekye said medical complications associated with teenage pregnancy include low birth weight, premature birth, placenta issues, cesarean section, infant mortality and maternal mortality.
He said the adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to a range of sexual and reproductive health consequences such as pelvic inflammatory diseases, hepatitis B and sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea and syphilis.
Mr Ngyebekye, who is also a member of Iseguri Initiative, emphasized the need for reproductive and sexual health education for young people to help curb the problem.
Madam Korsitse Adeli, a participant, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the education was appropriate and called for more of such engagements.
She appealed to mothers whose girl-child got pregnant not to abandon them but accept them whole-heartedly and allow them to go back to school after delivery.
The participants identified poverty, poor parental care, peer influence, technology as some of the factors causing teenage pregnancy in the district. -GNA
News
Oguaa goes gay with Fetu Afahye
The ancient city of Cape Coast, one of Ghana’s historical cities, witnessed a showcase of the rich cultural heritage of the Oguaa people with an exciting, colourful, and traditional event to mark the celebration of the 61st annual Fetu Afahye.
Themed “Innovate to elevate: Harnessing the creative economy for sustainable growth”, the festival featured a vibrant lineup of events, interspersed with several cultural performances showcasing the traditions which depict the traditional, historical and ancestral heritage of the land.
It witnessed a colourful procession of chiefs and various Asafo companies from the Mfantsipim School junction through the principal streets of the town to the Jubilee Park, accompanied by drumming and traditional dances.
The chiefs and members of the asafo companies were adorned in regal attire symbolising the pride and unity of the community.
Fetu Afahye demonstrates Oguaa’s resilience, unity, and cultural pride as the town welcomed indigenes both within and outside, as well as people from far and near, desirous of participating in the festival.
Various public spaces, including eateries and pubs, attracted patrons, and streets within the town witnessed bustling events with music blaring from the loudspeakers that had been placed by the roadside.
Bakatue
Prior to the durbar was the Bakatue regatta, a canoe race on the Fosu Lagoon, organised by ATL, a campus-based radio station located within the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in collaboration with the Oguaa Traditional Council.
The event saw a thrilling spectacle as the three Asafo companies, Nkum No. 4, Bentsir No. 1, and Anaafo No. 2, battled aggressively on the Fosu Lagoon. Nkum No. 4 earned nine points to clinch the trophy, medals, and a cash prize. They were followed by Anaafo No. 2 with five points, while Bentsir No. 1 finished third with four points.
Orange Friday
Friday witnessed what has come to be known as the biggest street carnival in Ghana, known as ‘Orange Friday.’
It drew hundreds of people across the country. Clad in orange attires, the patrons gathered and moved through the streets of the town, creating a gridlock.
The Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osaberimba Kwesi Atta II, at the durbar of chiefs to climax the festival acknowledged the unifying factor in relation to culture among Africans and stated the need for Africans to take their destinies into their own hands.
He explained that festivals such as Fetu Afahye offer an opportunity for Africans to remind themselves of the future by working hard and embrace the future in order not to be taken by events.
The Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, in a speech read on her behalf, noted that the festival was far more than a ritual or an annual duty, saying, “It is an affirmation of an identity, a homecoming and a powerful testimony to the wisdom and fortitude of our forebears”.
In his remarks, the Special Guest of Honour, the Olu of Warri State in Nigeria, Ogiame Atuwatse III, indicated that, the only thing holding Africans back was Africans themselves, which he said, was in the area of an African identity, and acting on that identity.
From David O. Yarboi-Tetteh, Cape Coast
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News
Chief Imam issues disclaimer on unauthorised petitions
The Office of the National Chief Imam has warned Muslim organizations and individuals against issuing statements and petitions to the Government in his name without permission.
In a statement, the Chief Imam said he had observed that some groups had been circulating petitions, including a recent one on Hajj, using his name without authorization.
He stressed that such actions were unlawful and cautioned those involved to stop or face the law.
The Chief Imam reminded the public that on October 4, 2022, he, together with the National Imams of all Muslim sects, signed a deed and presented it to the Government at the Jubilee House.
The agreement recognised the National Muslim Conference of Ghana as the official body representing Muslims in their dealings with state institutions.
He urged that any petitions meant to be sent to the Government in his name should go through the National Muslim Conference of Ghana with the approval of the Advisory Board of his office.
By: Jacob Aggrey
