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Punish men who impregnate school girls – Amnesty International
The Regional Coordinator of the Amnesty International in the Upper West Region, Ms Ruby Ali has suggested that males who impregnate young girls and cause them to drop out of school be punished through fines for their action.
She explained that females who got pregnant whilst in school or learning a trade were forced to stay out of school or apprenticeship to nurture the pregnancy, give birth and take care of the baby while the male got the opportunity to continue with his education.
“If they are school mates, the male is able to go through the education successfully and complete without any problems but the lady drops out of school and even in instances where she is bold enough to go back to school, she loses a number of years in her life due to the situation”, she said.
Miss Ali who stated this at an event at Charia recently by ProNet North to educate women about their wellbeing for future empowerment said males should be made to pay some amount of money for committing such acts.
The Coordinator underscored that although some girls mutually agreed to having unprotected sexual relations with men, they were mostly pushed into the act by circumstances such as the need to buy sanitary pads and other basic needs as well as peer pressure and immaturity.
Addressing the chiefs and elders of Charia, one of the Wa communities with prevalence of teenage pregnancies, Ms Ali advised the chiefs to enact functional by-laws to protect innocent girls from irresponsible parents as well as unscrupulous young men.
She encouraged young girls to take good care of their bodies and abstain from pre-marital sexual relations as it had the tendency of making them pregnant and interfering with their quest to progress in life.
Ms Ali stated that the only way to reduce poverty in the region was to build the human resource capacity of the youth, particularly girls. to ensure that they were gainfully engaged in useful ventures but not become teenage mothers with no source of livelihood.
“Parents should provide for their girls so that they don’t fall victim to unprincipled men who take advantage of them; you cannot give birth to a girl and expect her to be independent at the age of 13 when she is not working, she brings items home and you are not even concerned to find out the source”, she said and described that as poor parenting.
She urged the young girls to have vision and aspirations in life and endeavour to work harder in order to achieve them, stating that they would be able to lure responsible men in future if they carved a better niche for themselves.
For his part, Mr Abdul Rahaman Adams, the nurse in charge of the Charia Health Centre said teenage pregnancy was steadily reducing in the area due to intensified education from the health facility and some non-governmental organisations committed to the welfare of the youth.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
Police have retrieved all buried body parts of Joyce Akua Ampomaa, a 40-year-old trader allegedly murdered at Awutu Bentum in the Central Region.
The remains have been deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while investigations continue, Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), said at a press briefing in Accra.
She stated that the suspect, a 25-year-old fetish priest, was arrested by the Homicide Unit of the CID after the mutilated body of the deceased was discovered in a bush on the outskirts of Awutu Bentum on March 10, 2026.
Police said the Asafoatse of Awutu Bentum reported the discovery to the Jei Krodua Police Station after the body was found with the head and both legs severed.
Investigations revealed that she had previously sought herbal treatment from the suspect in 2025 and returned on March 4, 2026, for spiritual assistance.
The suspect allegedly lured her into a bush, attacked her with a cutlass, killed her, dismembered the body, and concealed the remains.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly admitted to the offence and disclosed that he buried the head at Mafi Avedo in the Volta Region and the legs at his residence at Awutu Bentum.
He was arraigned before the Adabraka District Court on March 13, 2026, and remanded into custody.
The court granted an exhumation order, enabling Police to retrieve the buried body parts.
On March 17, 2026, the suspect led investigators to Mafi Avedo, where the deceased’s head was exhumed.
On March 18, 2026, he led Police to Awutu Bentum for a reconstruction of the incident and to locations where the legs and destroyed mobile phones were retrieved.
At the crime scene, located on a cassava farm, the suspect allegedly identified the spot of the attack, the deposition of the body, and a pit where bloodstained items were buried.
Pathologists later exhumed the legs at his residence opposite the Chief’s Palace.
Police noted that community members had demolished the suspect’s residence and shrine, affecting retrieval of the suspected murder weapon and other exhibits.
COP Donkor commended officers for their professionalism and expressed appreciation to international partners, including INTERPOL, the Australian Federal Police, and authorities in Togo, for their collaboration. –GNA
The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) Ladies Association (GRIDLASS) has commemorated this year’s Women’s Day celebration with a strong call for increased empowerment, inclusion, and equity for women in leadership and decision-making spaces.
Held under the theme, “Empowered women: Accelerating equity in power and leadership” last Friday, the event brought together management, staff, and distinguished guests to reflect on the critical role women continue to play in national development and the energy sector.
Delivering the keynote address, renowned communications specialist and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Communications (StratComm) Africa, Esther Cobbah, urged women to embrace confidence, competence, and collaboration as essential tools for breaking barriers and advancing into leadership positions.
She emphasised that empowering women was not merely a social responsibility but a strategic necessity for organisational growth and national progress.
According to her, institutions must intentionally create opportunities that promote fairness, mentorship, and equal participation for women at all levels of leadership.
“Women must be encouraged and supported to take up leadership roles, not only for their personal advancement but also for the benefit of society as a whole,” she stated.
Mrs Cobbah further challenged women to continuously build their capacity, pursue excellence, and support one another in professional spaces.
The celebration also highlighted the achievements and contributions of women within GRIDCo, particularly in the traditionally male-dominated power sector.
Speaking at the event, the President of GRIDLASS, Azara Amadu reaffirmed the company’s commitment to promoting professional development, mentorship, and welfare initiatives that aim to empower female staff.
She noted that the association would continue to champion programmes that inspire women to rise into influential roles while contributing meaningfully to the growth of the organisation and the country.
She cited the appointment of the first and current Board Chair of GRIDCo, Kuukua Maurice Ankrah, as a remarkable achievement, expressing hope that the company would soon have its first female CEO.
The event featured a panel discussion centered on leadership and experiences, networking sessions, gender equity, and women’s empowerment and the launch of GRIDLASS leadership and excellence recognition awards.
Participants described the celebration as insightful and inspiring, expressing optimism that sustained efforts toward equity and inclusion would help shape a more balanced and progressive workplace.
From Ken Afedzi, Tema
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