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Nadowli Kaleo teens educated on sexual, gender-based violence
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A group picture of adolescents and team from UNFPA
Information sharing and education of adolescents on Sexual and Reproduction Health (SRH) at Duong, a community in the Nadowli Kaleo District of the Upper West Region has become effective due to the formation of adolescent health clubs in the area and the provision of a centre for discourse.
Hitherto, the community used to record high incidence of teenage pregnancies, early marriage or cohabitation and school dropout cases, making the community members and leaders worried as they sought for permanent ways to curb the situation.
But with the support of the United Nations Population Fund, (UNFPA) on its 8th Country Project, the Regional Focal Person for Reproductive Health who doubles as queen mother for the area, Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie, mobilised the young people into health clubs to educate them on SRH, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), among others.
The youth were constituted into two in-school and two out-of-school health clubs with each having membership of not less than 50 persons between the ages of 11 and 25 years.
Pognaa Bangzie during a monitoring visit by the UNFPA team to Duong told the Spectator that the groups met once every month to discuss issues that bothered on reproductive health and preventing unwanted pregnancies through abstinence or the use of safe family planning methods.
She said the adolescent health corner was included in the health facility she acquired for the community to accommodate health staff because the youth needed privacy to be able to consult on SRH and get the needed attention.
“This facility was made possible through benevolent persons and the USAID/Office of Transitions Initiative (USAID/ OTI) but we will need more support to furnish the place for use by the staff of the health centre and the youth as well”, she appealed.
A member of the club, 17 years old Ignatius Wienaah stated that with the provision of a permanent adolescent centre for SRH issues, adolescents in the community were better placed to protect their adolescence and pursue their heart felt goals.
A 16-year-old craftsman apprentice, Dorcas Tooresong said through the adolescent health clubs and discussions, she has learnt to abstain from pre-marital sex and also maintain good menstrual hygiene.
She explained that the girls were taken through the use of the reusable sanitary pads and how to keep themselves tidy.
A health worker, Patience Adzaho who has been working with the adolescents at the health corners expressed excitement about the provision of the adolescent corner through the initiative of the queen mother and said it had boost services to adolescents and seen more adolescents patronising the facility.
“They no longer have to mix up with the older people and make them awkward coming to us to discuss their reproductive health needs; this structure provides them with the needed privacy for whatever discussion they want to engage on,” she said.
The National Programme Officer for Gender at the UNFPA, Mr Bawa Faisal commended the community for their dedication to the welfare of young people.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
The 29th Annual Dagaaba-Frafra Friendly Games have once again demonstrated that sports can be a powerful vehicle for cultural preservation, business networking, friendship and peaceful coexistence.
Held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra last Saturday, the games brought together members of the two ethnic groups from across Ghana and abroad for a colourful celebration under the theme, “Unity in Diversity: The Dagaaba-Frafra Model for Peaceful Co-existence.”
The event, which has evolved from a friendly football match into a major annual gathering, featured football, volleyball, sack races, lime and spoon, tug-of-peace and a penalty shootout for senior citizens.
At the end of the competitions, the Frafra won four events, while the Dagaaba secured victories in five, with the men’s soccer match ending in a draw.
The Frafra triumphed in the men’s lime and spoon, men’s sack race, women’s sack race and women’s soccer, while the Dagaaba won the women’s lime and spoon, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, women’s tug-of-peace and the senior citizens’ penalty shootout.
However, the games extended far beyond the sporting arena. The stadium grounds and surrounding spaces became a vibrant marketplace, with patrons enjoying and purchasing a variety of traditional foods, drinks and cultural products.
Local delicacies, including TZ, tubaani, bambara beans, pork, guinea fowl, local fowls, dog meat and kosie, were sold alongside traditional alcoholic beverages. Traditional dresses and other culturally inspired items also attracted buyers, turning the gathering into an important platform for small businesses and vendors to make sales while promoting northern Ghanaian culture.
The cultural exchange continued long after the final sporting contests, as patrons remained at the venue to eat, drink, socialise, dance and party well into the night.
In her remarks, the Guest of Honour, Dr Matilda Aberese-Ako, said the gathering represented much more than competition, describing the Dagaaba-Frafra relationship as a historic bond that had evolved into a modern sporting tradition and an instrument for peace.
MTN Ghana has been the headline sponsor for the games for the past 10 years.
By Gordon Wellu
By Gordon Wellu
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MTN Ghana has undertaken a tree-planting exercise at the Chipa Forest Reserve as part of its commitment to protecting the planet and support the restoration of degraded sections of the forest.
The activity forms part of the company’s 2026 Sustainability Month celebration held under the theme “Small Actions: Big Impact,” and its 30th anniversary celebration.
It was held in partnership with the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Rainforest Alliance with MTN Ghana supporting the restoration of approximately two hectares of degraded forest through the planting of 1,666 trees.
Due to the current dry weather conditions, 833 trees were planted during the exercise, with the remaining 833 to be planted when the rain commences.
The exercise brought together MTN employee volunteers, officials from the Forestry Commission and representatives of the Rainforest Alliance, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in driving environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the event, the Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, emphasized the critical role trees play in sustaining life and protecting the environment.
“Trees are essential to human survival and healthy ecosystems. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, regulate temperatures, protect soil, support biodiversity and provide habitats for many species. They also conserve water, reduce erosion and help communities adapt to the effects of climate change,” she said.
The District Manager of the Tema-Ada Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, Linda Ansah, welcomed MTN Ghana’s support, describing it as a valuable contribution to efforts aimed at restoring degraded sections of the reserve.
The Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance, Nicholas Jengri, also welcomed the partnership and emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges.
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