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To reduce teenage pregnancy: Wa Youth Parliament supports girls to acquire vocational skills
● Some of the girls making beads
As part of efforts to promote adolescent reproductive health among females in the Wa East District, the Upper West Regional Youth Parliament has provided vocational skills in beads making to 31 teenage girls at Funsi as income generation venture for their upkeep.
The training which was sponsored by Plan International, Ghana, was in line with the quest of the Youth Parliament to empower adolescent girls and provide them with a source of income that would enable them purchase basic items such as sanitary pads during menstruation and stop depending on men.
Speaking to The Spectator Newspaper during the training, the Speaker of the Youth Parliament, Mr James Anabiga said the training was one of the interventions proposed to help teenage girls in the area meet their reproductive health needs as recommended in a study that was launched into adolescent and reproductive health issues by the Youth Parliament last year.
Titled “Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Wa East District of the Upper West Region: A Synthesis of Research Evidence”: the study revealed that teenage pregnancy was high in the district because many girls depended on men for sanitary pads in exchange for sex whereas others who did not, relied on rags which got them stained frequently and prevented them from going to school during menstruation.
Mr Anabiga said the study proposed that aside supporting the girls with sanitary products, there was the need to empower them financially to meet those obligations without relying on men.
The Speaker noted that the training which was carried out by resource persons from Halu Memorial Fashion College was one of the ways to empower the girls to produce beaded items such as necklace, earrings, bracelets and waist beads for sale.
He said that as part of the interventions, some of the girls earlier received menstrual cups sponsored by ‘Could You?’, a nongovernmental Organisation in the United States of America and indicated that one cup could be used for up to 10 years before it was discarded hence would support beneficiaries till they were adults and financially capable to buy more.
“We also had separate meetings with stakeholders such as the Member of Parliament, Mr Godfred Jasaw, District Chief Executive, Dr Suleman Kandi and traditional rulers on how to handle the research findings which projected that teenage pregnancies were high in the district because boys supported girls with their sanitary needs and requested for sex in return”, he said.
He said all the interventions were aimed at reducing to the barest minimum issues around adolescent reproductive health such as teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Mr Anabiga said that 10 of the trainees would be given start-up materials to enable them set up mini businesses and produce more beaded items for sale for income generation and encouraged them to put the skill to good use to ensure that they were able to train others in the trade.
A beneficiary, Bawa Amina who spoke on behalf of her colleagues commended the youth parliament for the intervention, which according to her, would serve as a source of livelihood for them.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjou
News
Chief Imam endorses ‘Let Love Lead’s’ clean-up campaign at Nkrumah Circle
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has thrown his weight behind the upcoming city-wide clean-up exercise scheduled for Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The revered Islamic leader gave his blessing during a consultative meeting with organisers of the exercise, calling the initiative a “commendable national duty” that aligns with both religious and civic responsibility.
The clean-up, which marks the third edition of a growing sanitation drive, is being organised by community stakeholders and supported by civil society groups.
This year’s exercise is especially symbolic as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of the June 3, 2015 flood and fire disaster that claimed over 150 lives at the same location.
“The well-being of our people and the cleanliness of our environment are acts of faith and service,” the Chief Imam said.
“We must all come together—Christians, Muslims, traditionalists, and non-religious people alike—to honour the memory of those lost and prevent future tragedies,” He added.
Organisers, ‘Let Love Lead’, say the Chief Imam’s endorsement adds significant moral weight to the campaign, which already enjoys growing national support.
Engagements have also been held with traditional rulers, MPs, government officials, and social influencers to galvanise wider participation.
This year’s event is expected to go beyond sanitation. Side activities include medical outreach, disaster preparedness education, interfaith prayers, and donations to victims of the June 3 disaster.
Nene Lartey Osakonor I (Big Dawood), a traditional leader spearheading coordination, described the Chief Imam’s support as “invaluable.”
He said, “We are deeply honoured by the Chief Imam’s endorsement.
“His message is a powerful reminder that sanitation is not just a government or NGO responsibility—it’s a spiritual and civic duty,” he added.
More institutions, volunteers, and media houses are expected to join the campaign as the date draws near.
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Speaker joins Ugandan Parliament’s inaugural sitting
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, was among distinguished African leaders who witnessed the Inaugural Sitting of the 5th Session of Uganda’s 11th Parliament yesterday.
The event, presided over by Uganda’s Speaker, Rt. Hon. Anita Anette Among, marked the beginning of the final legislative session before the country heads to the polls to elect new lawmakers.
Speakers and presiding officers from Namibia, Congo, East African Legislatures, Kenya’s Senate, South Sudan, and the Leader of the West Africa bloc of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) also attended the session.
In accordance with Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, President Yoweri Museveni delivered the State of the Nation Address, highlighting his government’s achievements.
Using pictorial evidence and videos, he showcased progress in infrastructure development, particularly road construction, and efforts to ensure food security.
The President also emphasized advancements in healthcare, including research initiatives and improved service delivery.
He further noted groundbreaking innovations in science and technology, such as the production and export of the Kirra electric cars.
President Museveni thanked Parliament for supporting government initiatives and pledged more developmental projects, including additional roads across constituencies. As Uganda prepares for elections, he expressed confidence in his National Resistance Movement’s performance while wishing all political parties well.
Following the address, Parliament is set to commence debates next week before receiving the President again for the budget presentation.
Speaker Among commended the President for his support to the legislature and urged Members of Parliament to uphold patriotism and dedicated service.
Bagbin Calls for African Unity
At a dinner hosted for visiting delegations, Rt. Hon. Bagbin, who also chairs the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of African Legislatures (CoSPAL), urged Uganda to remain committed to African unity and socio-economic development.
The event reinforced the spirit of Pan-African cooperation as nations strengthen parliamentary ties for continental progress.
