News
Mother ejects daughter from home …for getting pregnant twice within a year
A single parent in the Ho West District of the Volta Region who was worried over gross misconduct of her 17-year-old daughter had no allternative but to eject the school girl (daughter) from home.
Reason assigned to her action was that her daughter (name withheld) a student in one of the Secondary Schools in the region had allegedly become pregnnant twice within a year to the detriment of her education.
This worrying situation did not go down well with the woman who is single-handedly funding her daughter’s education for a better future.
The student is said to be staying with the School’s Board Member for now, and this paper would update its cherished readers in subsequent publication on her current situation regarding the pregnancy and schooling.
To this end, the Ho West Distict Director of Education, Madam Celestine Korsi-Agordo has called on parents to “swallow bitter pill” and support their pregnant daughters to go back to school and continue their studies after giving birth but not to abandon them to their fate.
She reiterated Ghana Education Service’s (GES) call to parents not to treat their pregnant teenage children as outcast but bring them t their fold and give them the needed parental support to further their education.
Madam Korsi-Agordo, in an interview at Dzolo-Kpuita on Tuesday, said that, the harm of dropping out of school completely due to a pregnancy was irreparable, adding that it made greater sense and benefitical to the society for a pregnant girl to be seen through school than to be treated harshly.
She was reacting to a current issue in which a 17-year-old first year student of Akorme Senior High School in the Ho West District was evicted from home by her angry mother, as punishment for getting pregnant twice in one year.
The girl got pregnant last year while in Junior High School and was catered for by her mother to give birth successfully .
Soon after giving birth, the teenager entered Senior High School only to get pregnant again.
This time, the single-mother sent her daughter packing out of their home and as a result, she is now perching with a compassionate member of the school’s Board of Governors.
Madam Korsi-Agordo explained that a pregnant teenager who felt rejected by her family may enter a state of unbearable trauma and that could lead to other consequences.
She revealed that there were nine pregnant girls actively attending school in basic institutions in the district, in the first quarter of this year.
Madam Korsi-Agordo said that last year there were 10 pregnant girls in basic schools in the district, but eight of them returned to school after giving birth.
She said that five of them returned to the classroom voluntarily while the other three girls came back after they were counselled by teachers.
According to her, the pregnant pupil were between the ages of 14 and 16, some of whom were impregnated by their mates in school.
“It will, therefore, be a case of gender injustice against pregnant girls if they are expelled from school while the boys who impregnated them rather remained in the classroom,” she told “The Spectator”.
The Distict Director stated that while the schools collaborated with the parents of the pregnant girls to ensure that they received all the necessary ante-natal attention, vigorous efforts were also ongoing in schools to educate pupils and students to abstain from premature sex.
“We are not encouraging the girls to indulge in sex and get pregna, but where the unexpected happens, the girls should be helped to complete their studies rather than to be stigmatised,” she maintained.
From Alberto Mario Noretti, Dzolo-Kpuita
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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